Story of a Dalish Mage
by kanjam
Summary: Dragon Age Origins  Radae, Keeper in training, and  his sister, Alynna, have been infected by the darkspawn taint. However, the Mirror that is responsible may have given the Mage a rather powerful gift. Rated M for violence and teh secks.
1. Introductions and first encounters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Dragon age, or any of the characters whithin. Radae and Alynna are the only origional things in here, and you're welcome to use them if you ask nicely.

Alrighty then. Mah fahst chaptah! Read, review, enjoy, and tell your friends. As stated above, Radae and Alynna are mine, I made 'em up. For those of you who are still kinda confused, Radae was being trained to take over for the Keeper of their clan, while Alynna was a hunters apprentice. Any questions are welcome.

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><p>"You know, it isn't uncommon for Dalish to change their names if they choose enter human society." Radae sighed, brushing his grey locks from his young face. "It helps us blend in."<p>

"I'd assumed that, but why choose such a strange one?" Duncan inquired, "Your original name was much better. Flowed off the tongue a bit better."

"He changes his name because he wishes to forget his past." Alynna answered, deciding her twin would've simply kept the argument going. They were only halfway to Ostagar, and she didn't wish to deal with them jabbering the whole trip.

"If it's to be put so simply, then yes." Radae sighed. Night was falling around them, and the Wilds seemed to command silence. Growing up as a Dalish, First to their Keeper, in fact, had taught him that a forest isn't something to disobey. He and his sister were both weak, the corruption from a cursed mirror having infected them with the darkspawn taint, and neither were capable of being any more than a hindrance in battle. The Keeper-in-training clutched his staff to his chest, the dark, lyrium infused wood giving him some comfort.

"Alestha seemed a fine name for a young Dalish, all the same." Duncan shrugged, dropping the subject. "We'll make camp here for the night, we'll reach Ostagar by midday tomorrow. "

"If we can last that long." Alynna grumbled, her body visibly shaking from the strain of walking. "This corruption in our blood, it is not something one can easily live through, is it?"

"Sister..." Radae started, finding himself at a loss of words. He wished he could comfort her, but that same question had been running through his mind since he'd been told what was happening to him. They'd been cursed, and becoming a Grey Warden was the only thing that would save them. He'd taken it rather well, but his sister didn't. She enjoyed living with the clan, with her friends. She'd never been curious as to what the outside world was like.

"It's rare that those infected live for more than a few days." Duncan answered. "You two have survived for almost a week now, and I'm sure you'll live long enough for us to cure you." Radae took some comfort in hearing that, but Alynna simply sat down and leaned her back against a tree. The rest of the evening passed in relative silence, other than Duncan requesting that Radae use magic to light a campfire. After the fire was lit the twins fell into a deep, weary slumber. Duncan would stay up for a few more hours to keep watch before the days exhaustion would soon overtake him.

The Fade was a strange place. As a mage he'd had some training in it's basics, but he'd never achieved full awareness during sleep. Not until then, at least. He'd always pictured it as a peaceful place, not the random outcropping of rocks and strange plants it was. Radae was taken aback when he first saw the landscape. His dreams never looked anything like this!

"Hello?" The elf called, the lack of echo disconcerting him. He wasn't even sure why he'd called out, maybe he'd expected to find his friends there? It didn't matter. What did matter, however, was what answered his call.

"I simply adore it when a Mage enters the Fade." A voice hissed. A purple mist began forming around him, smelling strangely of honey and sulfur. The mist thickened rapidly, and soon the young elf could scarcely see his own hand. Radae was suddenly aware of a presence nearby, but the strange-smelling mist seemed to make it hard to concentrate.

"Who are you?" He called, holding the sleeve of his robes against his mouth. Instinct told him that this mist was a trap, even in his dreams. The presence seemed to laugh at the question, as though it were a joke. The mist thickened yet again, everything past his nose fading from existence.

"I'm but an entity." The voice hissed, moving closer to Radae. "One that feels it can grant you a wish." That sentence lit up all sorts of warning lights in the Mages mind. Desire demon. Summoning all his concentration, Radae created an ethereal wind that blew away the fog. The landscape had changed, he was standing in a dark stone room. Radae recognized it instantly. A large mirror stood at the far end of the room, images swirling about beneath the glass.

"Come Sister!" A voice called. Radae turned around and watched the wooden door creak open, revealing a young Dalish mage, no more than sixteen years old. "I've found something!" He called running towards the mirror, passing through Radae as though he were a ghost.

"Wait for me!" Called a female voice. Another elf appeared, bow held in front of her with two daggers strapped to her hips. "Alestha, you can not just run off like that!" She scolded, jogging to her brother. They were around the same age, and shared striking grey hair that most likely ran in the family. The twins stood in front of the mirror, the boy known as Alestha staring deeply into it's depths.

"Sister, look!" He enthused, "It's an ancient, elven city! I think it may be Arlathan!" Radae knew it wasn't. It was an ancient city built by elves, yes, but this one seemed to be more... Warlike than the peaceful citizens of Arlathan.

"I do not like this, Brother." The girl warned. "It feels wrong, like this thing may be cursed." Alestha brushed it off as his sisters paranoia, leaning in even closer. The walls of the city were beautiful, built high and strong enough to withstand almost anything. There was a royal palace in the center, gold stairs leading up to the large gold-inlaid doors.

Before he could stop himself, Alestha reached up and placed his palm on the glass. A ripple emanated from where his flesh touched the mirror, as though he'd disturbed a body of water. For an instant, the image cleared to reveal a group of elves. Each one wielded a black staff, though they swung the tools of magic about as though they were weapons. A few were capable of focusing magic into their staffs and creating blades of pure magic along the wood. Alestha knew what they were, the mirror providing the knowledge.

Arcane Warriors. Mages capable of channeling their magic inward to grant immense strength and speed. All their techniques were suddenly inlaid in Alestha's mind, as though he'd learned them thousands of times. He knew how to create the black staffs they all wielded, how to infuse them with lyrium without killing himself. He even knew how to cast more spells, ones that had likely been lost for centuries.

The instant ended, lasting no longer than half of a second. Cracks formed along the glass, radiating from where his hand rested against the cool surface of the mirror. Then, as suddenly as the image had appeared, the glass shattered. An explosion of magic threw the young elves across the room. There they lay, unconscious and vulnerable, with small streams of blood running down the boys face. Unbeknownst to his sister, flecks of the magic glass no bigger than grains of dust had embedded themselves in his eyes.

Radae watched the two lay unconscious as black spiderwebs began spreading across their skin. For nearly an hour he watched as the twins suffered, their unconscious faces contorting in pain. Soon, a dark skinned man with two blades strapped to his back walked in. The scene before Radae began to fade away as the man, Duncan, rushed to the aid of the twins.

A purple mist once more obscured his vision, the honey-sulfur smell assaulting his senses. "Such a shame that it happened, don't you think?" The hissing voice asked. "Especially the girl. If you'd simply listened to her warnings, neither of you would be in this mess. She'd wanted to leave, she'd even said the mirror was cursed, but you wouldn't listen. Now, you're being dragged across Ferelden to become Grey Wardens. "

"Make your point, demon!" Radae called, snapping his fingers. Another gust of wind swept in, casting the mist aside. Radae was now floating in an endless black space, a lone figure slowly fading in. She had flaming purple hair, with horns adorning her brow. She wore very little, pierced purple nipples standing out against her grey skin. A gold chain connected the piercings, but other than that there were no clothes to speak of.

"My point being, mortal," The demon hissed, sauntering towards him, "your sister is being punished for a mistake you've made. Is that fair? Do you think you can survive it? Do you really, truly believe you can survive the darkspawn taint, one which has killed thousands far stronger than you?" The demon pressed her chest against the elfs torso, her pierced nipples easily felt through his shirt. "You've lived almost a week, longer than ever recorded, your time must be coming soon, right?"

"My sister and I will survive the taint." Radae stated. "We've survived this long, we won't die now."

"Ah, but what if you don't live long enough?" She whispered, resting her head on his right shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him, her hands sensually rubbing up and down his back. "I can ensure you both live long enough to get the cure."

"And what?" The mage interrupted, "you want my soul in return? Or is it my sister you're after? Maybe you wish that I allow you to take my body and run wild with it?" The demon chuckled, still rubbing her hands along his back.

"Nothing of the sort." She whispered into his ear, "What I wish, is for your favor." Sensing that he didn't understand, the demoness elaborated for Radae, "Favor is something a higher rank demon will bestow upon a lower rank demon. It means that I become your servant, in exchange for you protecting me from other demons."

Radae placed his hands on her chest, pushing her away from him. "I am not a demon." He stated, "I'm an elf, a mortal, a mage. Not a demon, therefore I can't give you this... favor."

"You saw what happened in that room." The demoness stated, placing her hands atop his. "That mirror embedded all of it's power inside you. Those mirrors, Eluvians is what I believe ancient mortals called them, were direct connections into the Fade. The mortals simply thought one mirror was connected to another mirror, but they actually passed through here before they reached each other."

"Your point?" Radae asked, attempting to remove his hands from the demoness' chest only to find that she was holding them in place.

"Your soul is connected to the Fade now. You can pass freely between your realm and this one, however you are fated to become a demon when you die." She explained, "A very powerful demon, at that. I think you may even become a Demon of Sin."

"Demon of Sin?" Radae asked. The demoness grinned, moving closer to the mage yet again.

"Rare demons that reside in the Black City itself. We call them Demon Lords, and they're capable of squashing a Pride demon with a whim." The demoness moved his hands out of the way, once again pressing her chest against his. "Which is why I think it would be in my best interest to gain your favor."

Radae frowned. He felt as though there was a catch here, but he knew that a Desire demon wouldn't lie outright. They preferred to offer something so irresistible that the mortal had no choice but to accept. "...You'll guarantee that both my sister and I will live long enough to cure ourselves?"

"Of course." The demoness assured, "You're to be my master, I wouldn't want you to be displeased with me already. However, you should know that, once your favor is given, you can't revoke it."

"...This won't steal my soul or anything, right?" Radae asked, still unsure about trusting the demoness.

"The opposite, in fact, you will quite literally own me. All you must do is offer me your protection." She answered, "Do we have a deal?"

"...Yes. I will give you my favor in exchange for your guarantee that my sister and I will live long enough to take the cure." Radae agreed, praying he wouldn't regret this decision later.

"Excellent!" The demoness enthused, "I'll show you how to give me your favor now." She grasped Radae's hand and guided it between her legs. Her pussy was dripping wet, and the heat it gave off felt like a fire.

"This is how I bestow my favor?" Radae asked, hand cringing from the intensity of her body heat.

"All I need to be marked by you is something implanted within me. Your seed will serve as such a strong marking that it might as well be burned into my skin." The demoness whispered, "Now, lets begin, yes?" There was a shift in gravity around them, and suddenly Radae was below the flaming purple figure. The demoness was straddling his now bare waist. He wondered briefly where his robes went, before remembering that he was in the Fade and the demoness could easily make them disappear.

The demoness leaned forward, placing her lips on Radae's in a kiss. Her tongue darted out and danced across his lips, as though begging for access. He opened his lips slightly, allowing their tongues to intermingle. Her saliva tasted like honey, a quirk Radae found he rather enjoyed. Her scent began to fill his nose, the honey-sulfur smell becoming the most alluring thing in his world. His penis began to stiffen, eventually arriving at it's full length. The tip prodded gently between the demoness' plump buttcheeks.

The demoness gasped in surprise, breaking their kiss to turn and look at what had poked her. "Maker!" She gasped. His cock was nearly the size of her forearm, and almost as thick! Were all mortals like this?

"The taint did it." Radae explained, "I don't know why, though. I wasn't nearly this big before." He seemed almost embarrassed at his size, but she brushed it off.

"I think you're ready now." She purred, leaning back down on him. Her breasts were squashed between their bodies, the chains making slight tinkling sounds as they moved. Her nipples hardened from arousal, pressing against Radae's skin. There was another shift in gravity, and Radae was suddenly on top. "Take me." She moaned, spreading her legs for him.

Not needing to be told twice, Radae positioned his dick at the entrance to her vagina. He gradually slid into her waiting passage, her heat feeling as though he was dipping his cock in a fire. A sense of dominance suddenly overcame his thoughts, as though this demoness beneath him was nothing more that his fucktoy. She was, in a sense. After all, he owned her now.

The elf pulled his cock out of the demoness, resulting in a questioning look from her. Radae flipped her over, so he was facing her back, and pulled her back down on his cock. He was balls deep in one thrust, eliciting a moan from the demoness below him. This was how demons mated, dominance was asserted. Radae didn't give her time to grow accustomed to his size, quickly pulling his dick out until only the tip remained before thrusting it all the way back in. The juices from her pussy began to drip down, falling into the endless expanse of blackness around them. They provided just enough lubrication for Radae to be rough with his demoness, any less and she probably would've began bleeding.

Radae pulled the demoness closer to him, pressing his chest against her back. He placed his hands on the backside of her knees, drawing them up to her chest and lifting her up and down as though she was weightless. Her moans of pleasure rang around them, disappearing into the echoless space. Radae took this as an encouragement, now lifting and slamming her on his cock as though she were nothing more than an inanimate object. She loved it, of course. Being dominated like this was so thrilling, not like the other mortals she'd pleasured. They'd all wanted to be lovey and kissey.

The elf was unsure how long he and the demon were like that, a writhing mass of tan and grey skin. In the Fade, time is hard to tell, so it could've been an instant or a decade. The demoness' had reached her climax a few times whithin the eternity/second they'd been doing it, Radae now working her at a speed that appeared almost painful. The mage could feel a tightening in him, signifying his own approaching orgasm. As a final measure, he reached his right hand down to her crotch, pinching and twisting the small purple nub just above her vagina. The mix of pain and pleasure sent the demoness over the edge, the flames on her head turning into a small inferno as she called out into the void. Her pussy clamped down on his shaft, milking it for every drop it could get. The added tightness sent Radae over the edge as well, his cock letting loose a torrent of spunk into her depths. The feeling of his seed filling her up caused one last moan of ecstasy to pass the demoness' lips before falling limp in the mage's arms, spent.

"Thank you, Master." She sighed, pushing her back against his chest. "I will keep my end of the deal as well, you and your sister shall live to find the cure." The demoness reluctantly pulled herself from Radae and floated off his cock, a wet popping sound the result of his tip slipping past her pussy lips. Not a drop of his semen was spilt, marking her as completely his. The demoness began to fade away, a sign that Radae was waking up. "Oh, and Master." She said, just before she was completely gone, "Be sure to drop in every once in a while, I don't think I'd mind being 'favored' again."

Radae was woken up by Duncan, who insisted it was time to start traveling again. Alynna was already up, her bow in hand and daggers at her hips. Sitting up in his sleeping bag, Radae came to the realization that he'd cum in his sleep, his spunk now decorating the inside of his robes. He muttered a spell under his breath, the ejaculate quickly disappearing.

"Did you say something?" Alynna asked, having just barely heard the whispers under his breath. Radae shook his head in response, slipping out of the leather sleeping bag and rolling it back up with a spell. Duncan was eager to continue to Ostagar, saying that he needed to report back immediately.

Alynna seemed to have improved greatly from the night before, her having disappeared overnight. Radae could feel it too, as though a great weight had been lifted from his body. He could almost hear the demoness' voice in his mind, 'Did you not expect me to keep the bargain?' it chuckled.

The trio began walking once more, the forest around them becoming more sinister as they continued on. When Duncan announced they'd be arriving at Ostagar within a few hours, both of the Dalish twins grew happy enough to start a conversation.

"What did you dream of, Brother?" Alynna asked, glancing at her younger brother. "You made quite a lot of noise last night."

"Oh... I dreamt of the ruins." Radae responded. That was part of his dream, after all. He asked her what she'd dreamt of, but didn't listen to her response. The dream of the ruins had stirred up memories of what happened afterwards, including their traveling with Duncan.

_Flashback_

Alestha had woken before Alynna, recovering from the blast much faster despite being much closer. He was relieved to be back in camp, however he felt horrible. When he'd asked her, the Keeper told him that he'd been infected with the darkspawn taint somewhere whithin the ruins. The Keeper forbid him from leaving his bed until she deemed him fit enough, but he snuck out later that night. Something the mirror had shown him needed to be tested.

Any Dalish knows that heading into a forest, especially at night and alone, is a ridiculous idea. Alestha hadn't even dared to do so before then, always taking his sister with him for company. This night, however, he knew he'd need to be alone. He journeyed deep into the forest, to areas where werewolves were often sighted, looking for one thing. A tree that has been possessed by a demon.

They were difficult to spot, for the simple fact that they blended into their surroundings so well. However, nearly an hour into his trek, he found one. More accurately, he was attacked by one. The tree he passed simply appeared to grow limbs and begin swinging at him.

Alestha dove under a swipe from the Sylvans arm, the power of the swing causing a *whoosh* sound as it flew over him. The mage knew what he had to do, not bothering to counter any of the Sylvan attacks, and instead dashing straight for the trunk. He scurried up the body of the possessed tree, climbing into the gaping hole in the front that served as a 'mouth'. Seeming happy with such an easy catch, the Tree closed the mouth and trapped it's prey inside, while razor sharp wooden teeth began tearing at the mage. Alestha cast a shield around himself, just in time to avoid being sliced up by the carnivorous plant. Taking a deep breath, he cast a steady stream of fire down the Trees 'throat' and into it's core, burning the monster from the inside out. The screams of the demon trapped inside echoed around the wooden prison he'd trapped himself in.

Mage and Demon stayed like that for nearly an hour, the possessed tree taking an abnormal amount of time to burn down. When finally it did, Alestha crawled from the ashes, his shield having held up just enough to keep him from frying. After catching his breath, the elf began digging through the ashes, eventually finding a small scarlet crystal no bigger than his thumb. The Heartcrystal. Every tree possessed by a demon had one, however only burning the tree to ashes would leave the crystal intact. Alestha clutched the crystal in his hand and dashed back to camp, thankfully encountering no resistance along the way.

When he arrived back at the camp, Alestha was glad to find that he still had enough time to finish the ceremony. The teen snuck over to the supplies boxes, searching through them until he found the refined lyrium dust. The keeper kept it for making mana potions, but she probably wouldn't miss a small pouch. Taking the pouch of lyrium and a vial, Alestha rushed immediately to the nearby stream. After filling the vial with water and lyrium, he whispered a few words in ancient elvish to both the crystal and lyrium water. The crystal began pulsing with a faint magenta light, signaling it was prepared for the ritual. The vial began to glow an iridescent cyan color, also signaling preparedness. Picking a spot well hidden behind a few trees, Alestha pulled a small knife from his robes, cut across his right hand, and allowed the blood to drip into the vial. No more than seven drops of blood. He then put the stopper on the bottle and shook, the cyan lyrium/water mixing with the crimson blood. As the final step, he dropped the Heartcrystal into the mixture. The crystal seemed to h He buried the vial under a few inches of dirt, whispering a few more words in ancient elven. If all went well, he'd have an Arcane Warriors staff by morning.

_End_Flashback_

Radae looked at his staff, the black wood humming faintly in response to his touch. The staff would only work for him, having been bound to him through his blood. Alynna had questioned him that morning where he'd found it, and he'd responded by telling her that it'd been a gift from the Keeper. She seemed happy with the explanation.

Duncan came the next morning and informed them that they were dying. He then invoked the Right of Conscription, and explained to them that the only way for he and his sister to live would be for them to become Grey Wardens. A few days of travel and one name-change later, and there they were. Radae had left without a word to the Clan, but Alynna had taken a few hours to give her goodbyes. She'd always been more accepted than him, a mage was hardly trusted even among the Dalish.

The reminiscing brought his mind back to the demoness from his dream that night. It was obviously real, as both he and his sister were feeling much better, although he couldn't help but wonder if he'd made the right choice. The demoness had told him that he'd need to protect her, would that indicate that he'd need to make frequent trips into the Fade just to fend off some random spirit? What if she interfered with the Mages Guild? He didn't like the prospect of fighting off a hoard of Templars. Then there was always the chance she was attacked by a larger demon. Would he even be able to handle something like th-

"Brother? Are you listening?" Alynna questioned, staring quizzically at her twin. "You seem a little absent today." Radae hadn't realized it, but he'd been staring at his staff for nearly a minute straight.

"Huh? Yes, yes of course." He responded, looking apologetically at Alynna, "Forgive me, Sister, I didn't sleep well last night. What was your dream?"

"I dreamt that we were Grey Wardens, fending off droves of Darkspawn from a small village." She repeated, "We were amazing! I moved like a blur, glittering daggers in each hand as I struck down foe after foe. You were slaying dozens at a time, blast after blast of magic flowing from your staff like shooting stars!" Radae smiled, liking the idea of mastering such magic. Alynna was definitely feeling better, which also made him happy. The demoness had kept her word, which made him pleasantly surprised.

The day passed quickly, and they arrived at Ostagar right on time. Duncan had matters to attend to, so he left the two Dalish to wander about the camp. Alynna found a troop of Ash Warriors right away, and spent nearly an hour talking with them about fighting styles and which ancient hero they thought would win in a duel. Radae didn't mind, though. He was accustomed to dealing with his sisters fascination with battle, at least now she had someone outside the clan to talk to. The Ash Warriors soon left to hunt Darkspawn, forcing he and his sister to wander about some more.

"Perhaps we will find some Mages here." Alynna pointed out. Radae shrugged in response, realizing that any Mages he found would be from the Circle, and would likely think of him as an 'Apostate'. Alynna insisted, however, so they spent the next few hours wandering about in search of the Mages. They found a group of large men standing before a few tents and asked them for directions. As it turned out, the men were Templars. Radae nearly fainted.

"The Mages have sent their spirits into the Fade." One of the Templars said, gesturing to a few people standing in a circle behind him. "We are under strict orders not to allow any interference, especially from an Apostate such as yourself." Surprise, surprise. They called him an Apostate.

"Sorry for bothering you." Radae replied, clutching his staff to his chest. "We'll be on our way." He turned and walked a few steps away, only to realize Alynna wasn't following him.

"My Brother is as much a Mage as those people in there!" She argued, looking up at the silver helmet of one of the Templars. "He deserves to be with them!" If she weren't his sister, Radae may have fried her on the spot. He hurried over and placed himself between the Templar and Alynna, hoping to stop the fight before it began.

"An Apostate has no rights." The Templar argued, pushing Radae aside as though he were a piece of paper. "You'd better watch your tongue, elf."

"Alynna, don't -" Radae began, only to be cut off by his sister.

"He is no Apostate!" She fumed, stepping closer to the Templar, "He's the First to the Keeper of the Lyna Clan! Next in line to inherit the secrets of-"

"Save your titles." The Templar interrupted, "In the real world, he's just an elf Apostate with a preachy sister." Radae sighed in defeat at this. There were very few things that made his sister angry, all of which the Templar had just done. He'd interrupted her, insulted her brother, and then insulted her. He wouldn't be able to stop the fight between the two, so he instead chose to prevent the other Templars from joining in.

"Sorry about my Sisters conduct." He said, approaching one of the other Templars. Templar Two shrugged in response.

"Elric is always like that, hates Mages with a passion he does." He sighed, removing his helmet. The man was human, with ebony hair and light blue eyes. A light beard framed his face, giving him a slightly unkempt appearance. "The names Alphonse, nice to meet you." Alphonse held out his hand to Radae, startling the Mage for a moment.

"I'm Radae," He responded, shaking the Templars hand. "it's nice to meet you as well." Hopefully all the humans in the camp would be as friendly as Alphonse, he didn't want to deal with any more fights.

"So, your sister mentioned you were Dalish, right?" Al asked, crossing his arms, "I didn't know Radae was a Dalish name." Radae smiled in an attempt to hide his disappointment. He'd overlooked that the name Radae didn't sound remotely Dalish, and would probably attract even more attention. A Dalish is only permitted to change their name once, however, so he was stuck with it.

"I changed my name when I left our clan." Radae said in response to Als question. The Templar nodded, content with the answer. He and Radae spent the next few minutes pulling Elric and Alynna away from each other, not wanting either to get injured. Radae said farewell to his new friend, but not before the two had a chance to plan out the next night. Al wanted to introduce Radae to the rest of the Mages, so he arranged for the elf to gain access into the Mages area. However, he was only permitted when the sun was down, during the day they tended to be very busy. Alynna swore at Elric in Dalish until they were out of sight, at which point she began fuming over being pulled away from the fight.

"Maybe we should just wait for the Ash Warriors to get back, you seemed to get along with them better." Radae pointed out, laughing slightly. "They might even show us around camp."

"They are not expected back until tomorrow." Alynna sighed, absently tapping the dagger strapped to her right hip. "We'll just have to wait around here until then."

"Well... We could go find them." Radae suggested, earning a look of fake shock from his sister.

"Brother! To do such a thing would be to disobey an order given to us." She stated, feigning disappointment, "I am ashamed that you would even suggest such a thing."

"I know it well, Sister, but how shall we survive?" He replied, dramatically placing the back of his left hand against his forehead, "Two elves, lost in a world of humans, our only friends vanished into the wilderness?" Alynna wiped a fake tear from her eye.

"Dearest Brother, perhaps you are correct. Perhaps we indeed should search for the noble Ash Warriors and their faithful canines."

"T'would be the only way to thank them for their kinship." Radae agreed, he and his sister breaking out of their act and dashing toward one of the walls.

The gate into the wilderness was guarded, so the twins were forced to find a way over the sharpened barrier. Luckily, they were both excellent climbers, and were able to scurry up one of the old columns near the fence. Just before they were able to make it over the wooden barrier, they heard a deep voice.

"I thought I told you to stay within the camp." The twins froze, slowly turning their heads toward the voice. Duncan stood a few feet below them, hands clasped behind his back and humorous smile on his face.

"...We miss the trees?" Radae attempted, realizing it was in vain.

"Come down from there, I have someone I want you to meet."

* * *

><p>Whoo! First chapter posted! Any comments or criticism is welcome. I'm also looking for a Beta reader, if anyone is interested. You'll get to read the stories first! Yaay!... Anyhoo, review, and stay tuned.<p> 


	2. Witches of the Wilds

"My name's Alistair, pleasure to meet you." The human said, shaking Radae's hand. 

"I'm Radae." The Dalish mage returned, smiling, "This is my sister, Alynna." Alistair released Radae's hand and gently took Alynna's, bringing it up to his mouth for a light kiss. 

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Alynna." 

"Brother, does this human wish to court my hand?" Alynna asked, completely oblivious to human customs. 

"It's the human way of greeting a female with high status." Radae explained, "It's also used as a way of showing respect upon a first meeting." 

"Why does he shake your hand? Does he not respect you?" Alynna asked, bristling at the thought. 

"The greeting is only used on females." 

"Why?" 

"Females are generally treated differently than males in human culture." 

"How so?" 

"They are generally considered delicate, something a male would protect." At this, Alynna bristled. 

"Do I seem weak to you, human?" She calmly asked, "If so I would be glad to show you my strength." 

Alistair took a step away from the Dalish woman, "I didn't mean it that way!" 

"Then why did you not shake my hand as you did my brothers?" She interrogated, "I am much stronger than he, yet you treat me delicately." 

"Sister." Radae stepped in, placing his hand on her shoulder, "It's only a custom, he meant no offense." 

"Hm." Alynna replied, eyeing Alistair with something akin to distaste. 

"I apologize." Radae said, turning back to Alistair, "She doesn't know as much about human culture." 

"I picked that up when she didn't use contractions." Alistair replied, smile returning to his face. 

"What are contractions?" Alynna whispered to her brother. 

"When two words are put together." Radae replied, before returning his attention to Alistair.

"Duncan told us to find you, he said you'd be the one to assist with our Joining ceremony. 

"Ah yes, that." Alistair sighed, "You'll be sent out into the Wilds to gather three vials of darkspawn blood. Another recruit and I shall join you." 

"We've be'ainted, how'll wight?" Alynna asked. 

"I'm sorry?" Alistair asked. 

"Sister, contractions are only for certain words." Radae explained, "You can't just mash words together." 

"Human speech is silly." Alynna huffed, crossing her arms. 

"She said, 'We have been tainted, how shall we fight?'" Radae sighed, returning to his conversation with Alistair. "We've been physically drained the last few days. It's not much of a problem for me, but my sister possesses no magic of her own." 

"Don't worry," Alistair reassured, "You'll have me and the other recruit to assist you." 

"That is reassuring," Alynna grumbled, "As a woman, I need as many men around as possible to keep me safe." 

"Is there anything else we'll need to do?" Radae asked, ignoring his sister. 

"Duncan would like us to get some treaties from an old fort." Alistair replied, "They're agreements signed by the dwarves, elves, and mages to help us during a Blight." 

Radae held his staff above his head, blocking the blade of a Hurlock warrior. The mage took a deep breath of air and blew, a large gust flying from his mouth and pushing the darkspawn back. Radae pointed his staff at the Hurlock, focusing energy at the tip. "Fire!" He called, a cone of flame blasting from the tip and setting the beast on fire. Saying the word wasn't necessary, but it helped him focus. 

"Brother!" Alynna called, dashing to his side, "Are you harmed?" 

"I'm fine, Sister. Focus on the battle." Radae held up his staff, an arrow bouncing off the hardened wood as though it were metal. 

"How did you-" Alynna began, before being forced to dodge a Glenlocks arrow.  
>Radae tried to separate himself from the rest of the group, not wanting to risk hitting them with his spells. However, this left him vulnerable to attacks, which meant he dodged and blocked more than he cast spells. A vision of one of the Arcane warriors came to his mind, how their staffs doubled as weapons. He knew what to do, grateful that the mirror had taught him. He channeled his energy inward, his muscles bulging slightly. <p>

"Radae, behind you!" Jory, a fighter and fellow recruit, called. Without turning, the mage leapt to his right, a blade falling where he once stood. As though he'd done it countless times before, Radae spun around and used the force to slam his staff against the back of the Hurlocks head. A sickening crunch could be heard, but nobody paid it any mind. 

~Battle magic: When an arcane warrior focuses mana inward, their physical strength becomes as great as their magic.~ 

'How do I know that?' Radae wondered, before lifting his staff to block another blade. This one smelled of poison, causing Radae to leap back in fright. With his increased strength, however, he ended up leaping a few feet farther than he'd meant to and slammed into a tree. 

"What are you doing?" Alistair called, lifting his shield to block a darkspawns blade. "Beating yourself up doesn't help us at all!" 

Radae nodded, gripping his staff like it was a two-handed sword. If he ran his mana down the staff, a blade would form. At least, that's what he got from the mirror. He tried it, but only succeeded in making his staff glow slightly. The Hurlock with the poisoned blade took advantage of this opening, dashing in and attempting to stab the elf in the gut.  
>An arrow embedded itself in the Hurlocks head, expertly shot from Alynna's bow. "Brother, I can not watch over you! Either become serious, or get out of the way!" Radae nodded, deciding he'd experiment with his staff later. He gripped his staff as a staff once more, this time pointing the tip at a group of four darkspawn. <p>

"Ice!" A cone of freezing mist shot from the tip of his staff, quickly encasing four enemies in a thick sheet of ice. "Earth!" He thrust his staff at two of the ice-encased enemies, chunks of solid rock manifesting and flying at them. The earth hit both in the heads, breaking the ice and snapping their necks. This left two more frozen enemies, which Jory easily took care of with his two-handed sword. 

"Excellent job, Ser mage." The warrior complimented before continuing the battle. Radae smiled, he always enjoyed praise. Seven darkspawn were left, all of them hurlocks and all of them wielding two-handed swords. Jory was able to kill two right away, moving his own broadsword around with incredible speed and dexterity. Alynna shot another in the temple with an arrow, while Alistair blocked a blade with his shield. After seeing how he froze their comrades, the remaining three chose Radae as the greatest threat.  
>'There's no way I could dodge all three at once.' He thought frantically. <p>

~Shimmering shield: The arcane warrior creates a shield of magic around themselves, partially immersing them within the Fade and adding protection against attacks.~ 

'Thank you, mirror.' Radae threw his arms wide, a sudden coolness seeping in. His body became slightly transparent, while the air around him began to shimmer. One of the Hurlocks swung it's sword at the mage, the blade shifting direction and flying towards his legs rather than his neck. Radae braced for the pain, only to feel a slight pricking. The blade passed through his legs, embedding itself in the ground underneath him. Taking his chance, Radae swung his staff down on the Hurlock, the weighted end landing with a crack and killing the darkspawn. The second Hurlock swung it's sword downwards, only to have it redirected away from Radae's body altogether. 

As Radae raised his arms above his head to strike the off-balanced Hurlock, he felt the shield waver and fade. He'd run out of mana. The spell must've used up more than he'd thought. Radae leapt backwards, the third Hurlock stepping in and attempting to cut the mage in half. Meanwhile, the second Hurlock regained it's balance, both of them now preparing to strike. Radae could still feel the strength from when he cast the Battle magic spell, but it was more of a residual effect. He wouldn't be able to bash them to death with his staff anymore, he required a real weapon. Summoning what little mana he could, he pulled the broadsword from the dead Hurlocks grasp. The telekinesis wasn't perfect, however, so he ended up just launching the blade hilt-first towards him. 

Radae managed to catch the sword, dropping his staff next to him. Using what he picked up from the Eluvian, the mage spun in a circle to build force, then swung brutally down at the cleft of neck and head on the second Hurlock. The blade bit into the flesh, cracking the neck and embedding itself in the darkspawn. Radae attempted to pull the blade out, but it was caught tight. The second hurlock prepared to attack, but seemed to freeze, causing the Mage to leap back in case of a trap. The Hurlock wobbled briefly before falling down, an arrow sticking out of the back of it's head. 

"No need to thank, Brother." Alynna called, smiling confidently, "Just teach me that move and your debt will be repaid." 

Radae busied himself with bandaging his leg. When the Hurlock had sliced at him, the blade had been redirected through his then-transparent leg. While not severing the appendage, it did leave him with a large cut on the inside of his calf. A spell would've healed it, but he wanted to save mana. Alynna fussed around him like a worried mother, constantly asking if he'd need assistance tying the bandage, did he need her to disinfect the wound for him, would he need her assistance walking, should they head back to camp and try again later? Radae replied with short 'no's to all her questions. 

"What spell was that, Radae?" Alistair asked, sitting on the stump next to the elf. "I was trained as a Templar, and never heard of something like you just did." Radae froze at the word Templar, suddenly feeling much less comfortable around the Warden. 

"It... It was a spell our Keeper taught me." He lied. Alynna didn't know anything about what the mirror had taught him, and he didn't want the Templars to learn of the Arcane Warrior spells. Anything that gave him an advantage was welcome. 

"I didn't know the Dalish taught their Mages the Art of the Blade." Ser Jory stated, cleaning his blade with a cloth from one of the dead Hurlocks. 

"Neither did I, Brother." Alynna joined in, "Did the Keeper teach you to do that?" Radae tried his best not to let his nervousness show. 

"N...No." He said, looking up from his seat to his sister, "I learned from watching the warriors. Years of observation must've taught me something..." Alynna didn't seem to believe the answer, but didn't question him further. Radae finished wrapping the bandages around his leg and stood up. "Let's go, we still need to find those papers." 

The group made it to the ruins in the middle of the Wilds without any further incident. The ruins themselves were little more than a few walls without a roof, although they did seem to hold a certain magic to them. Nobody else seemed to notice, so Radae decided not to mention it. The papers were supposed to be kept in a wooden case, so they spent the next twenty minutes scouring the small ruins for it. Jory found it, although it had obviously been bashed in and the contents removed. Alistair cursed loudly at the ground for a few minutes, which Radae spent examining the chest for the enchantment that was supposed to be placed on it. 

"It wore off." He stated, holding a piece of the wood from the case. 

"Impossible," Alistair said, turning to look at the mage, "These wards were supposed to last for decades." 

"Well...It's probably been decades since the wards were placed." Radae sighed, "Either that, or Grey Warden Mages were terrible at their job." 

"It was probably the latter." A female voice answered. The group turned to a set of stairs that led out of the ruins to see a woman. She was human, with black hair and pale skin. She wore little more than cloth draped across her chest, just enough to hide her nipples from view, black stockings, and a skirt of raven feathers. 

"Who are you?" Alistair called, placing his hand on his sword. Jory copied the motion, while Alynna and Radae simply stared at the human. 

"Isn't it common courtesy to give your names before asking them?" The woman pointed out, descending the stairs and circling the group at a leisurely, relaxed pace. 

"She's probably a Witch of the Wilds." Jory stated, gripping his blade and unsheathing it. 

"Witch of the Wilds?" The woman laughed, stopping. "Such fanciful people, to believe those stories." She placed a hand on her hip, her laughs echoing off the walls of the ruins. "However, if that is what you wish to call me, then yes." Jory tensed, his blade between him and the woman. 

"Jory," Radae spoke, his voice even and calm, "calm down. She doesn't mean us any harm."

The woman eyed him and his sister, an eyebrow raised."Oh? And how do you know that?" She asked, walking calmly towards them, "For all you know I really am a Witch of the Wilds, and intend to steal your souls." 

"Do you?" Radae asked, smiling. 

"If you had intended to do us harm," Alynna stated, "You would have attacked us when our backs were to you." 

The woman was silent for a moment, before a small smile formed on her lips. "So not all of you are idiots." She finally stated. "I am not a Witch of the Wilds, however I am a Witch who dwells in the Wilds. My name is Morrigan." 

"Where did the Treaties go?" Alistair asked, drawing his sword and shield. "Did you steal them?" 

"Steal them?" Morrigan chuckled, still facing Alynna and Radae, "Your seals wore off years ago. My mother was kind enough to protect them for you." She turned to face the frightened humans, "You would do well to avoid pointing fingers, especially when I have what you seek." Morrigan turned back to the elf twins, "You understand such courtesy, hm?" Radae and Alynna nodded. 

"Morrigan, would you please take us to your mother?" Radae asked, "These treaties are very important." 

"Hmmm..." Morrigans eyes glinted, and Radae became suddenly aware that she had yellow eyes. "I may deign to bring you to her, but only if you beg." Radae could feel his sister tense beside him, but neither moved. The Dalish twins and Human witch stared at each other, neither side moving. Radae and his sister were nothing, if not proud. They'd sooner torture the information out of Morrigan before beg for it. 

After a few moments of silence, Alynna spoke up. "We shall do no such thing. Either you take us to the treaties, or we make you." Morrigan smirked, pointing at Alynna. The elf brought her hands to her neck, struggling against an unseen force as she was lifted from the ground. 

"You are in no position to make threats." The Witch stated. Alynna looked to her brother for help, and was frightened by what she saw. Radae's eyes had darkened considerably, the whites

having become dark grey while the iris shifting to pitch black. This hadn't happened before, what was happening? 

"Irritum." The words spilled from his mouth, their meaning lost to all except Radae. Morrigan gasped, her mana vanishing. Her knees buckled, and she was forced into a kneeling position. With the release of the magic, Alynna fell to the ground. The force around her neck had disappeared, and she could breathe again. 

"What sorcery was that?" Morrigan asked, struggling to stand back up. Her strength had disappeared, or maybe gravity had increased? Either way, her body felt like lead. Radae's eyes returned to normal, and the elfs grey eyes stared into Morrigans yellow ones. 

"That was the type of sorcery that you will deal with, if you ever attempt to harm her again." He stated, not entirely understanding what had just happened. "Take us to the Treaties." Morrigan scowled, standing upright. Her strength had returned, thankfully. 

"I will bring you to her, then." She growled. Morrigan turned and began walking towards one of the exits, Alynna and Radae following. Alynna glanced at Radae, trying to find a trace of the thing she'd just seen. It was her brother, but not him. She shivered, praying she'd never see it again. 

As they passed him, Alistair placed his hand on Radae's shoulder, "We'll need to talk about that," He said, referring to the Mage's behavior, "back at camp." Radae nodded, deciding to worry later.

_

Morrigan was true to her word, and brought them to her mother. The old lady introduced herself as Flemeth, much to the shock of the humans. Alynna and Radae, meanwhile, showed no reaction to the revelation. Why should they? They'd never heard of and Flemeth. 

"She's THE Witch of the Wilds." Jory explained, "It's said that she and her daughters lure men into the Wilds and feast upon their souls." The warrior drew a cross in the air before him, as though it would ward off the evil. 

"So the tales say."Flemeth stated, her calmness chilling the humans to the bone. "But tales are just that, stories. What do you to believe?" She asked the elf twins. 

"We believe what we see." Alynna stated, clearly not phased by the witch's behavior.

"And what do you see?" 

Radae answered this time: "We see an old woman living in the middle of the Wilds with her daughter." 

Flemeth was silent for a moment, staring calmly at the twins. A smile appeared on her face, accompanied by a small laugh. "I like you two. Not many people will state what they think so blatantly. I have your Treaties, the Seals wore off many years ago. You were lucky I was keeping such a close eye on them." She turned to Morrigan, "Go fetch them, girl." Morrigan turned and walked into the house, her face an emotionless mask. 

"Are you truly a Witch?" Alynna asked, "My brother was the First to our Keeper." 

"I am occasionally referred to as Asha'bellanar" Flemeth responded. The elfs tensed at the words. Asha'bellanar was feared. A powerful witch. "And it is an honor to meet the person who was training to become a Keeper of a Dalish clan." Flemeth repeated "Your magic is probably much different from that of the outside world, yes?" 

"I haven't seen many Mages since leaving my clan," Radae responded, "I wouldn't really know..." 

"I can sense an air about you, something other Mages don't possess." Flemeth continued, "However, I doubt it's because of your Dalish training." A small smile seemed to grace the old womans lips. 

"What do you-" Radae started, before Morrigan returned with the Treaties. Alistair placed his hand on Radae's shoulder, eager to leave. 

"Let's get back to camp." He said, more a command than anything else.  
>"Don't worry little elf." Flemeth said, a vibration augmenting her words, "We'll meet again, and I will explain everything then." By that point, both Alistair and Jory had turned and were heading back to camp. Alynna glanced at him, before turning and following the humans. Radae turned and followed the rest of the group, glancing back briefly at the two women. Morrigan scowled after them, while Flemeth kept that faint ghost of a smile on her face. <p>

"Come on, Radae." Alistair called, he and Jory waiting for the elves to catch up. Radae turned and jogged to catch up again.

_

Radae held the chalice up to his lips, his hands quivering from what he'd just witnessed. He'd known that becoming a Grey Warden would be difficult, but that they'd neglected to tell him something so important was astonishing, dumbfounding even. Ser Jory had been the first to drink the darkspawn blood, and the first to die. 

"Brother! I beg you, do not drink the blood!" Alynna cried, her arms restrained by a grim-faced Alistair. It was understandable that she'd be so distressed. Jory had drank from the same chalice not moments before, and whithin moments he'd started convulsing. The blood was a poison, he was certain. But, at the same time, he knew that there was a chance it wouldn't kill him. So, his choices were to either drink the blood and possibly live, or refuse and be killed by either Duncan or the disease in his blood. 

The mage held his breath, praying he wouldn't taste too much, and took a large swig of the crimson liquid. It was cold, and much more viscous than he'd imagined, so he had trouble not spitting it all out. He heard Alynna choke out a gasp, and Duncan sigh in relief. Was that a good thing? He didn't feel like he was seizing violently, although he did feel a bit of vertigo. As though he was falling... His legs had given out? When did that happen? His vision faded to darkness as he fell, blacking out just before he hit the ground.

_

"Come to visit me again, Master?"

Radae gasped as his eyes opened, the lifeless expanse of the Fade greeting him. He could feel the Demoness' presence behind him, but didn't bother to look. "I'm not dead?" 

"Unfortunately not." She replied, sauntering seductively in front of him. "Such a pity, too. I was so looking forward to seeing you as a full-fledged Sin Demon." The Demoness stopped and rubbed his bare chest, her claws surprisingly gentle. "I do like what has happened to you so far, though." A hand mirror appeared in Radae's hand. "Take a look, Master."  
>Radae held the mirror up to his face, strangely unaffected by his reflection. His skin had changed, and was now pitch black. His pupil-less eyes glowed black as coals, and the skin around them was tinted gold. His hair burned as black flames on his head, not unlike the Demoness' purple flames. <p>

"Your soul is changing, it's being corrupted and morphed by the combined influence of the Mirror fragments in your eyes and the darkspawn blood mixed with yours." The mirror disappeared, and the Demoness wrapped her arms around him, grinding her crotch against his leg. "Even like this, you're a force to be reckoned with in the Fade." 

"I suppose I am." He agreed, unaffected by her advances. "Do you know what's happening with my body?" 

"Hmmm..." The Demoness purred, her soaking pussy leaving a trail on his leg. "I may." 

"Well?" 

"I may be persuaded to tell you, if-" She was cut of as Radae, feeling suddenly outraged that she would try to strike a deal with her Master, grabbed her by her neck and slammed her into the ground. Cracks spread from where her body hit, the ethreal ground apparently reacting as if it were real. 

"I am your Master." He stated, "Tell me, and I may see fit to reward you." 

"I-I... Yes Master." The Demoness said, astonished and aroused at his forcefulness. "The Wardens have taken your body and placed it in a tent next to your sisters." 

"What of her?" 

"She reacted to the Darkspawn taint the same as you, she's fine." The Demoness squirmed, her Master's forcefulness causing her already wet crotch to twitch in desire. "Master, that is all I know..." 

"Good." Radae released her neck and stood up, his gargantuan cock swinging in front of the Demoness. "You may have your reward, but first you must tell me your name." 

"My name?" She asked quizzically, floating into a sitting position before her Masters shaft. "It's Lilith." Radae nodded, gesturing for her to begin. The demoness grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming in the ethereal glow of the Fade. She took the flaccid member in her hands, bringing it to her lips and sensually licking the tip. Her long purple tongue swirled around the head, even sliding into the urethra once or twice. Radae's cock began to expand, the pitch black flesh extending to it's full girth and length. Lilith floated higher to keep up with the growth, her head soon level with her Masters ribcage. 

"You may begin." Radae stated. Lilith grinned once more, floating higher and higher until her soaked crotch was level with the tip of the flesh spire. Radae watched as she impaled herself on the massive shaft, pale-skinned face contorting in pleasure. Her normally dark eyes lit up, giving her a much less evil look. A lump was moving up her stomach, an obscene display of his size. The lump came to rest above her naval, the tip of his cock meeting resistance. 

"My womb..." Lilith moaned, as if to answer his question, "I've never been with a mortal who could reach the entrance to it..." Although surprised, the demoness showed no signs of stopping. She began gently pushing down more and more, his cock sliding past the entrance of her uterus. The lump continued moving for a few more moments before encountering another barrier. 

"It would appear you've run out of room." He shouldn't have been surprised. The last time they'd been together, his cock had only gone half-way in before he pulled it back out. It'd been his rush to assert dominance, so he thought nothing of not fully penetrating her. "You've done quite well, though. Only about an inch is left." 

"I... I don't think I can take any more of you..." She groaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Were that I was at full strength, I would change my shape to allow for more of you." Radae looked at her questioningly, resulting in a sigh. "Master, I will explain later, for now I would love my 'reward'." 

"I suppose I did promise you." Radae stated, smiling. He let his hands wander down her body, cupping her creamy buttocks and lifting her almost all the way off his shaft. Lilith moaned in delight, a sound which quickly changed to squeals of pleasure as he thrust her back down. The tip of his shaft bumped against the back of her womb, the lump in her abdomen coming to a sudden stop just under her ribs. Her pussy clenched down on his shaft, a rush of her fluids gushing forth. 

"I'm sorry, Master..." She began, resting her forehead against his shoulder, "I am unaccustomed to such feelings." 

"I take it as a compliment." Radae replied, lifting and slamming her back onto his shaft. More moans spilled from her mouth, accompanied by ones from the Elf. He began repeating the motion, only faster. She no longer went as far up his shaft before plummeting back down, obscene squelching sounds emanating from their crotches. He felt a mix of her cum and his pre slide down the underside of his shaft and drip from his scrotum, landing with wet plops on the browned earth between his feet. 

Lilith wrapped her legs around his hips, limiting his movement to a few inches. Her pussy clamped down once again, harder than before, and another rush of fluid spilled from her. Radae smirked, slowing his thrusting just long enough to bring his lips to hers in a quick kiss. Her face briefly flashed with hints of surprise, but the emotion was quickly overridden when he began pounding her again. He felt a familiar pressure in his balls, a churning sensation that begged for release. He was about to increase speed when he heard something behind him. Not waiting to see what it was, Radae buried his cock within Lilith, held the demoness close, and spun to face the noise. The demoness gasped in surprise at her Masters sudden movements, but didn't question them. 

A bright, white figure was approaching them, clad in bright armor. Radae recognized it as a Spirit of the Fade, but he didn't know which virtue it held to. He went to work figuring out what might've brought it. Love? No, there was none of that here. Truth? Maybe, neither of them were lying to each other, but it was a rather large stretch. Perhaps Justice? That made next to no sense... 

"I am a Spirit of Purity." The figure said, the light around it fading. Lilith gasped and slid off Radae's member, a sloppy popping sound the result of the movement. 

"It's here to harm you." Lilith warned, floating next to Radae. 

"The Demon is right." The Spirit stated, no hint of malice in it's voice. "You go against the Purity I and my Master hold dear. Even Demons are made of one thing, but you are neither Mortal nor other." Radae took a step back, preparing for an attack. The Spirit ignored the movement, continuing it's speech. "And to couple with a Demon not once but twice, the same Demon, I might add, who shows little respect for the barrier between our worlds. An average Mortal I would understand, they are easy to sway and fickle in their short lives. But you have accepted a contract that only Demons may make, and have signed your death warrant."

"Come at me, then." Radae stated. Lilith nodded, summoning a replica of the Arcane Warrior staff to her Masters hands. The Spirit glanced at the weapon, it's face hidden whithin it's helmet.  
>"I am not here to kill you, not yet." The Spirit said, voice neutral. "I am here to give you a warning. If you continue this depraved union, my Master, and all who've sworn Fealty to him, shall hunt you for the rest of eternity." The Spirit turned around and began walking away. There was a faint whooshing sound, and hardened wood met metal. The Arcane Warrior staff, which had, until recently, been in Radae's hands, been thrown across the twelve foot gap between the Spirit and him. It had been a rather nice toss, Radae noted, the weighted end of the staff smacking solidly against the top of the Spirits helm and bouncing away.<p>

"I'm not afraid of one such as you." The Spirit called, not bothering to turn towards the mortal.  
>"Nor I of you." Radae returned, his naked form lined in a thin, black mist. "I will do as I wish, and, when I die, I will become a Demon of Sin, and will reign over as much of this place as I can." <p>

"You think yourself the first Sinner to attempt rule over the Fade?" The Spirit laughed, it's first show of emotion. "Sins have attempted such feats before, and each time they were beaten back by the Spirits of Virtue." Another clang of hardened wood on metal, another summoned staff thrown across the clearing.  
>"I disagree with the way you refuse to look at me when you speak." Radae stated, hefting a third staff. <p>

"Insolent mortal!" The Spirit roared, turning to face the Mage. Radae grinned, launching a bolt of energy from his staff into the face of the Spirit. A sword and shield materialized in it's hands as it charged the mortal. Radae grinned, cyan flecks appearing in his jet black eyes. To anyone looking close enough, they looked like a starry sky, almost innumerable. Radae called forth any knowledge he could from them, pleased with what he found. 

"Scythe!" He called, channeling his mana into his staff. The weighted end glowed briefly before a blade of condensed mana shot from side, forming a crude scythe shape. The blade itself glowed dark blue, and was nearly see-through as colored glass. One swing cut a gash in the Spirits shield, knocking it off balance in the process. "Spear!" The blade rippled before retracting into the staff. A spearhead burst forth, made of the same material as the scythe blade. The Arcane Warrior impaled his opponents foot, nailing it to the ground. Not waisting a second, Radae spun and kicked the Spirit in the chest, the force combined with the immobile appendage causing it to fall. 

"My Master will not stand for this." The Spirit warned attempting to stand back up.  
>"I was just having my way with my sexy demoness slave, and you expect me to care about what your master thinks?" Radae laughed, kicking the sword from the Spirits hand. "I have a message for your master. Make sure this reaches him, okay?" Radae knocked the Spirit on it's back, his hands over it with palms down. A cone of flames burst forth, heating up the ethereal metal of the Spirits armor and burning its flesh. Screams could be heard, but neither Lilith or her Master cared. After a few seconds of torching the Spirit, Radae released the spell and pulled his staffspear from the ground. The Spirits gasps could be heard through it's helmet before a flash of light took it away. Now alone, Radae looked towards Lilith. 

"The mood's ruined." He laughed, walking over. His member had gone limp during the fight, and Lilith had, surprisingly, stopped dripping. "I think I'll be waking up soon, so tell me what you meant earlier when you said you're not at full power." 

Lilith sighed, disappointed that their fun had been interrupted. "I haven't told you yet, but I had to cut my power to a fraction in order to receive your favor." She floated over to her master and pressed her chest against his, "A Demon may only receive Favor from a Demon with more power. I was stronger than you, so I needed to get rid of almost all my power to be yours." 

"Why, then?" Radae asked, allowing her to embrace him, "If the point of all this was to gain power, why did you give yours up?" 

"Master, with the rate you're growing, I'll be back to full power in no time." She laughed, rubbing her pierced nipples against his abdomen, "And when you become a Demon Lord, my own power will be many times more than what I started with. Think of it as an investment." Radae felt the Fade around him begin to grow fuzzy, signalling his awakening. "So don't let me down, huh? I'm counting on you." With those words, the world went black.

_

Radae awoke in a sleeping bag that wasn't his, in a tent that he'd never seen before. His robes had been changed, and he now wore the standard Grey Warden mage robes. They were, like the name suggested, grey, with a black Griffin symbol adorning the shoulders. Unlike the last time he'd awoken from one of his Demoness' dreams, his pants were completely non-sticky. Suddenly remembering his appearance in the Fade, Radae held his hand in front of his face. The skin was normal, although he did seem a little tanner than he remembered. He quickly checked his lower half, finding the same for his skin down there as well. His cock seemed to have grown a bit, but that may have been his imagination. He dug through his pack and pulled out the dagger he kept for emergencies, checking his reflection in the blade. His eyes were their usual grey color, and his hair was back to the grey locks they usually were. 

The elf breathed a sigh of relief, now simply enjoying laying down in the sleeping bag. The feeling of fatigue from the illness was completely gone, his chest no longer hurt, and his leg only faintly ached from the cut he'd received yesterday. It was the first time he'd been able to relax since he'd awoken with the taint, and he was enjoying it. 

That is, until his stomach exploded in pain.


	3. Slipping through

**Disclaimer!** I don't own Dragon Age, or any of their characters. The only ones I do own are Radae and Alynna, and Dragon Age can use those if they want.

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><p>Alright! Chapter 3! I'm really sorry about how short this one is, but I promise the next one will be longer. Anyhoo, read on!<p>

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><p>Radae let out a groan of pain, curling up from sheer agony. His stomach felt like it'd been stabbed! Was it the Darkspawn blood he'd drank last night? Whatever it was, it nearly blocked out his senses with pain. He heard shuffling near the flap of the tent, and a set of footsteps approaching. Radae cracked an eye open to see a pale face and yellow eyes, framed by pitch black hair.<br>"Well, well, well." A sarcastic voice mocked, "If it isn't the mighty Grey Warden Mage." Morrigans eyes glinted, her teeth visible in her smirk. "Mother wishes to see you, but I suppose you're in too much pain to oblige." The witch seemed to take a moment thinking before she knelt down next to him. "Don't think I'm doing this for you. Mother would be furious if I were to return to her alone." She held her hand over his abdomen, a faint white light emitting from her palm. "Feel better now?"  
>"N...No." Radae responded, still curled up from the pain. Her healing spell didn't work, which sent him into a panic. He didn't want to live with this pain forever! How would he survive? How could he possibly bear it? What-<br>"You dolt." Morrigan growled, "You're hungry." She held up a note. It read:  
>Dear Radae,<br>You'll be hungry when you wake up, it's a side-effect. There's some food in your pack, that'll hold you until you get to the mess hall.  
>-Alistair<br>"I really don't see why Mother is bothering with you." the Witch grumbled, digging through Radae's pack until she found a sack of food. Inside were three apples and four rolls of bread. Morrigan set them in front of the elf, "Eat." she commanded.  
>Radae eyed the food nervously, not quite trusting Morrigan. The pain was intense, though, so he took one of the apples. He took a large bite, and nearly cried. That apple was the best in the world. That apple was a divine gift from the gods, sent as a reward for surviving the taint and the Joining. That apple would lead the people to redemption and salvation. Three more large bites, and that apple was gone. The other apples went in a similar fashion, along with the bread. Morrigan raised an eyebrow in disguist.<br>"Must you eat like a barbarian?" She sighed. Radae ignored her, pushing the blankets off him. The pain had subsided, but he was still starving. "Come with me. Mother doesn't like to wait, and we can cook you something there." The elf seemed wary, especially since they'd be going outside the walls. However, he wanted to meet Flemeth again, to ask her what she knew about the Eluvian shards. Radae stood and gestured for Morrigan to lead the way.

Alynna awoke to what felt like a knife in her stomach. She doubled over in pain, eyes darting around the room for something that may ease the pain. There was a note next to her bag, which she quickly grabbed and read over.  
>Alynna,<br>You'll be hungry when you wake up, it's a side-effect of the joining. I've left some food in the pack next to you, it should hold you over until you can reach the mess hall. I'll be saving you a seat.  
>-Alistair<br>Alynna smiled at the note, grateful that he'd go as far as to ensure she'd have a place to sit. She turned and dug through her bag, thankfully finding four apples and five rolls of bread. The food was devoured almost instantly, and the pain in her stomach faded slightly. She could bare it now, at least enough to walk to the mess hall. She slipped out of her sleeping bag, a bit unnerved that the armor she'd been wearing during the Joining had been replaced with a cloth shirt and pants. Dalish weren't known for their modesty, however, so she shrugged it off and began the brisk walk out of her tent and towards the mess hall Alistair had mentioned.

Radae and Morrigan walked undisturbed through camp, reaching the gate to the Wilds within minutes. As they passed the guard, Radae noticed a glazed over look in his eyes, as though he were in deep thought.  
>"I put a charm on him when I entered." Morrigan explained, " It isn't permanent, have no fear, it should wear off in a few minutes." The two pushed the gate open just enough for them to slip through unseen, immediately leaping off the trail and into the thick underbrush of the Wilds.<br>Morrigan moved fluidly through the trees and bushes, her upbringing in the Wilds clear to anyone who could've seen her. Radae kept up, though not without difficulties. Despite being a Dalish elf, he'd been raised as the Keepers First, which meant more studying and meditation than it did leaping through the forest. He kept up with her, though, and they reached Flemeths hut much faster than it had taken the group of four he'd traveled with the previous day.  
>When the two Magi arrived at the hut, Flemeth was sitting upon a wooden chair near the door. The woman was as still as a statue, staring off into the Wilderness as though it was speaking to her. Radae cleared his throat, alerting her to their presence.<br>"Ah, Morrigan." She sighed, turning towards her daughter. "I see you took your time retreiving our guest."  
>"You know me, Mother," Morrigan replied, "I enjoy my leisurely walks through the forest."<br>"You should be more careful, there are dangerous things out there." With this, Flemeth turned towards Radae, "However, one of the most dangerous is standing next to you. Go prepare the stew, Ser Mahariel and I must discuss things in private." Morrigan sighed, turning and sauntering towards the hut.  
>"How did you know my family name?" Radae asked. A small smile graced Flemeths features, like a parent who'd just been asked about their child.<br>"I know a great deal, 'tis one of the advantages of age." She responded. "But such matters aren't important. What I've brought you here to discuss is the deal you've made." Radae gave a puzzled look, causing Flemeth to laugh. "I know about your adventures in the Fade. You should count yourself lucky, not many Mages have a demon servant."  
>"I-I... How did you know?" Radae asked, talking a half-step backwards. "That happened in the Fade, in my dreams..."<br>"I hold a certain... Affinity, for the Fade." Flemeth replied, "Like you, my spirit can pass freely between that world and ours. However, you seem to be doing it unwillingly." Flemeth stood and placed her left hand upon his cheek, "The gift you've been given, while some call it a curse, is a powerful one. I must focus and concentrate to slip between the boundaries of the Fade and my body, while it is natural to you. What I wish to do, is impart upon you the knowledge you require to slip willingly between realms."  
>Radae was silent for a few moments, digesting the information. She knew? Nobody knew, except for Lilith... And that Spirit that seemed intent upon hunting him down... Which meant half the inhabitants of the Fade must've heard... Damn.<br>"Could you really teach me to do that?" He asked, grey eyes searching her yellow ones.  
>"I have no reason to lie to you." Flemeth replied. Radae pursed his lips in thought, there needed to be a catch. Why would Flemeth offer him a skill so invaluable for free?<br>"What would I need to give you in return." He asked, brushing her hand from his face. Flemeths smile grew wider, as though pleased with his observation.  
>"When I ask it, you shall take Morrigan from here."<br>"When will that be?" Radae followed, brows furrowing.  
>"If I were to tell you, it would ruin everything." Flemeth chuckled mysteriously.<br>"Then... I suppose I accept." Radae replied. "Please, teach me how to pass into the Fade." Flemeth smiled, placing first one, then both hands on Radae's temples. What happened next flew by in a blur, the elf not able to recall it until several hours later. It reminded him of when the Eluvian Shards showed him something, a quick flash of nonsensical images that, for some strange reason, delivered a clear message within his mind. He suddenly knew how to pass into the Fade, how to concentrate, what to imagine, even how best to be sitting and what herbs would assist in the jump.  
>"There. You may stay for stew, I'm sure you have some questions about the Fade."<p>

Alynna found the mess hall after a few minutes of wandering. She'd not realized how lost she could get in the sea of people milling about the camp, and without Alestha, or Radae, as he'd named himself, to accompany her, she found she froze up when she talked to strangers. Nevertheless, the Elf rogue successfully found the mess hall Alistair had mentioned. It was a rather large wooden building, the scents of bread and meats hung about it like a fog. The sheer size of the building dwarfed the entire camp she'd last seen her clan in.  
>Upon entering, Alynna found that it was even more crowded than outside. People could be heard talking and singing, most of it loud and off key. The tangy scent of some Fereldan liquor swam about the air, but it was easily covered by the smell of food. The elf searched the room for Alistair, happy to find him sitting near one of the back corners. Alynna rushed over to the Templar, taking a seat across from him.<br>"Glad you could make it." Alistair said, smiling. "How do you feel?"  
>"I feel hungry." Alynna replied<br>"Yeah, happens to all of us." Alistair chuckled, "I told the cook you'd be here, he's preparing The Special."  
>"What is 'The Special'?" Alynna asked, her stomach rumbling.<br>"It's the order we prepare for all new Wardens." The Templar replied, "Three legs of ham, a full tankard of whatever drink you please, four chicken breasts, and as much bread as you like." He paused, "Dalish do eat meat, right?"  
>"Part of nature is a larger animal eating another." Alynna replied, "We are not deer." She laughed softly, happy to know that he was as clueless of her culture as she was of his. The two talked for another few minutes before the meal arrived. First came the pig, the smell making Alynna's mouth water. She was about to begin eating, when a thought struck her.<br>"Where is Radae?" She asked, "He was not in his tent when I awoke."  
>"I told him to come here." Alistair shrugged, "He's probably with the mages, not to worry."<p>

Radae took a sip of the stew Morrigan had handed him, not sure whether it was delicious or disgusting. He liked it, but hated it. It was strangely filling, each sip filling his stomach with a warm feeling. Flemeth had brought him into the hut, much to Morrigans disapproval, and sat on a worn wooden chair near the fireplace. She then began telling stories of her daughter when she was little, how she would run about the house naked, cry at the slightest thing, even of how she had once gotten stuck in a-  
>"Mother! Please!" Morrigan burst, "Stop speaking about me as though I weren't here!"<br>"Are you embarrassed, girl?" Flemeth asked, a ghost of a smile on her lips, "Is this not the job of a mother, raise a child and embarrass them?"  
>"I would hope not." The ebony haired witch muttered, "That would mean others must go through this torture."<br>For the next hour the two witches argued back and forth, until Radae stood and said it was time for him to go back to camp. Morrigan seemed happy, while Flemeth was as neutral as always. The elf thanked them for their hospitality and left, relieved to be away from the two. Their squabbling was humorous, yes, but rather frightening when one remembered they could bend the elements to their will.

"I am beginning to worry for my brother." Alynna sighed. She'd finished her meal in near record time, and spent the rest of her time worrying about Radae. "It is unlike him to disappear for so long."  
>"I wouldn't worry." Alistair comforted, "He's a mage, and a rather powerful one. He can handle any trouble that comes up." He paused at this, as if considering his words. "...About the other day... When he disabled the Witch's spell. Is that a common ability among your Mages."<br>Alynna thought for a moment, trying to recall the Keeper mentioning such a spell. "I have not been trained in the ways of magic like Radae." She sighed, "It is one of the few things he can do which I can not. However, my brother and I rarely keep secrets from each other, so it surprises me that he would keep such a strange spell from me. To my knowledge, no. That is not a spell that our Keeper knows. However, I have not trained with her, and know very little of the woman."  
>Alistair nodded, thinking on the incident. Granted, there were spells that could neutralize magic, such as the aptly named Glyph of Neutralization. The effect wasn't as alarming to Alistair as the way the spell was cast. Words aren't generally used in magic, and when they are it's usually Tevinter phrases. The words Radae had spoken held a different sound to them, a different language all together. Then there was the way his eyes darkened when the spell was cast. As a Templar in training, he'd been exposed to all sorts of different magics, and he himself was trained in techniques that could nullify any magic in the area. It was strange, though, that he'd never been told of such a unique spell. He'd meant to talk to Radae about it when they'd returned, but the Joining happened almost immediately after they'd arrived, and he hadn't seen the elven Mage since.<p>

Radae stepped carefully over the roots sticking up at odd angles all around him. He could easily have run back to camp, but for some reason he wanted to relax and walk back instead. The Wilds were rather peaceful, once one was able to see past the rather spooky atmosphere.  
>"...aster...an...you hear me?" A voice whispered. Radae leaped away from where the voice had appeared from, his shoulder ramming into a nearby tree. A flame appeared upon the head of his staff, illuminating the area around him. His eyes darted around the small space between trees, searching for the owner of the voice.<br>"Who's there?" He asked, muscles bulging with the Combat Magic spell he cast upon himself.  
>"It's Lilith." The voice replied, right next to his left ear. Radae jumped again, though not as far.<br>"L...Lilith?" He asked, releasing the Combat Magic. "How are you talking to me?" He hadn't passed into the Fade, of that he was sure.  
>"The Veil is weak here." Lilith responded, "So much death and negative emotion has caused it to thin enough for me to speak to you." Radae nodded slightly, the explanation making sense. He'd sensed the Veil was weak, but the fact that a Demon could communicate to him from the Fade meant it was much thinner than he'd imagined.<br>"What do you want?" He sighed, returning to his walk back to camp. "I just saw you last night."  
>"Master, there are Spirits tracking me." Lilith replied, her voice tinged with panic, "I've managed to defeat one, but I've been injured. I was going to wait until you slept tonight, but they're closer than I thought." Radae nodded, though she couldn't see him, and sat upon a nearby root.<br>"I'll try to pass into the Fade from here." He said, reassuring the Desire Demoness somewhat. The Mage crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees, a pose the Keeper had taught him for meditation. As Flemeths memories had shown him, he opened up his mind to the world around him. Even with his eyes closed, he could suddenly see the trees and forest around him. Everything he looked at gave off an energy, one that, with enough practice, he could use to form spells. Past that, however, he could sense the energy of the Fade. It was faint, and he had a hard time focusing on it, but he soon felt his soul leaving his body. He felt his body slump to the ground, muscles going limp as his consciousness left his body.

To say it was a strange experience would've been an understatement. When he found himself in the fade during sleep, it felt as though he was waking up from a nap. Passing into the Fade intentionally, however, felt as though the pieces of his body were slowly joining together. To literally feel his body being put together nearly made him vomit. However, he knew that he'd need to be ready for whatever may have been lurking around him, so he willed his mind into coherence.  
>When he was fully in the Fade and in control of his body, he began looking around. The landscape was the first thing he noticed. The ground sloped upwards on all sides, making it appear as though he stood in a crater. There weren't any burn marks in the land, though, so he simply attributed it to the strange nature of the Fade. The next thing he noticed was a faint sound coming from outside the hole. It sounded almost like the rasp of steel on steel, not something he'd expected, but it gave him a general direction to start his search.<br>Radae climbed over the edge of the hole, suddenly regretting the fact that he always appeared naked in the Fade. If he had to fight, he'd have no armor or protection. As he stood up he cast a shield spell around him, just in case he found himself in a fight. The Mage followed the sounds of clashing steel over a nearby hill, the sight both surprising and relieving him.  
>Lilith, longsword in hand, stood toe-to-toe with a Spirit. Radae could tell she wasn't accustomed to such close range combat, her movements unruly and clumsy. She managed to fend off the Spirits blows, however. Radae held out his hand, a cold mist developing around his fingers.<br>"LILITH!" He called, the Demoness turning to look at him, "MOVE!" He released the spell, a stream of freezing mist flying from his palm and towards the dueling Fade inhabitants. Lilith, hearing his warning, leapt to the side as the mist passed her and enveloped the Spirit. Radae breathed a quick sigh and ran to his ward.  
>"Good timing, Master." She wheezed as he approached, "Any longer and he would've overwhelmed me." She was cradling her left arm, which hung limply at her side. Radae moved her hand off her arm to inspect her wound. A large gash sat a few inches above her elbow, though there was no blood. The flesh inside was a deep black, almost like coal. Radae placed his hand over the wound, a green light appearing beneath his fingers. The wound stitched itself shut, causing Lilith to sigh in relief.<br>"Thank you, Master. " She sighed, "But you should save your strength. More are on their way." She gestured to the frozen one a few feet away, "That one isn't gone yet, either."  
>"There's a reason for that." Radae answered, walking to the frozen Spirit. He activated his combat magic, muscles bulging slightly in response. He released the ice spell holding the Spirit and grabbed it's neck, holding it in place. The spirit growled and lashed out, it's sword gleaming as it flew at Radae's torso. The mage caught the Spirit's arm with his free hand, holding the blade in place.<br>"Release me, impure scum!" The spirit spat. It's voice sounded feminine, but it's face hidden beneath an iron mask. It's eyes were the only thing visible, shining a brilliant crystal blue. "Thou and thine Demon bitch have no place in my Masters territory!"  
>Radae stared impassively at the Spirit before speaking, "We don't want to fight." He sighed, "Why do you and your kin insist upon attacking us?"<br>"Impure creatures such as thee have no place here!" The Spirit replied, "Even Demons are pure in their ways. Demons are Demons, nothing else. However thou art impure, a mix of mortal and Demon, and unfit for existance."  
>Lilith walked up beside Radae, arms crossed. "She spouts the same nonsense that her companion did." Radae nodded in agreement, "To top it off, she works for a Spirit."<br>"What do you mean?" Radae asked, turning to his ward.  
>"Can't you tell?" She replied, "She's a Demon. It's an unfortunately common occurance. Demons decide that they enjoy the methods and ideals of a Spirit, and align themselves with it. Rather sickening."<br>"I have found a higher purpose." The Demon said, struggling to escape Radae's grasp. "Upholding the Purity of the Fade is my calling!"  
>"Isn't it funny that a Demon who aligns herself with a Spirit would preach about purity?" Radae chuckled, "And to condemn me for being part Demon? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"<br>"Thou knowest nothing!" The Demon screamed, struggles doubling in strength.  
>"Master, there are more Spirits approaching." Lilith warned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We should leave!"<br>"To leave would tell them that we are afraid." Radae replied, "We need to stay and fight, to show them that we won't be pushed around."  
>"To stay and fight would do nothing more than tell them that we want to fight!" Lilith argued.<br>"Stay or flee, it matters not." The Demon laughed, "My Master and his army will kill you no matter what you do." Radae returned his attention to their captive.  
>"Stay here. We'll continue this later." He released another burst of freezing mist onto the Demon, once more freezing her in place.<br>"Master, I beg you!" Lilith insisted, "We need to run! There are too many!"  
>"Lilith, make me a staff." He commanded, ignoring her plea. She let out a small sound, akin to a sob, but obeyed her Master. A replica of his staff appeared before Radae. The mage grasped the lyrium-infused wood, more confident now that he had it.<br>"They've arrived." Lilith warned, stepping closer to her Master. The blade she wielded earlier reappeared in her hand, along with a shield in the shape of a circle.  
>"SURRENDER, SCUM!" A voice boomed. Radae turned around to see a figure dressed head to toe in armor, with a shining sword in hand. It stood nearly seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and body. "SURRENDER, AND YOUR DEATH WILL BE QUICK!"<br>Radae laughed, pitching his staff at the figure. The Spirit caught the weapon in it's free hand and snapped it in two. The two broken staff pieces fell to the ground before evaporating into a dark mist. Another staff appeared in Radae's hand.  
>"AS YOU WISH!" The spirit called. There was a bright flash of light, blinding both Mage and Demoness. Their vision returned quickly, though Radae suddenly wished he was still blind.<br>Surrounding him and Lilith were dozens of glowing, armor clad Spirits.

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><p>Done! So, I've been trying to decide if I should do the Tower of Ishal in the next chapter. Leave your thoughts and input in the review, I'm eager to see what you think.<p> 


	4. Battle in the Fade, Facing Mortality

I'm baaaaack! Sorry for the wait, school has kept me reeaaallly busy! But enough of my poor excuses, on to the story!

"I told you we should've run." Lilith growled, "More than once. Several times, in fact." The demoness tightened her grip on her sword. "Such confidence will serve you well when... or if... you become a Demon of Sin."

"Don't worry," Radae whispered, "we'll get out of this."

"Easy enough for you to say. You could quite easily just wake up and be safe."

"Just do as I say." The mage ordered, "Do as I say, when I say it, don't ask questions. Hesitation will lead to death." Lilith barely had enough time to nod her head in confirmation before the hoarde attatcked. "Lay down!"

Lilith dropped to the ground a split second before Radae, having created a magic blade running all the way up his staff, swung in a wide circle. He used magic to form a gust of wind that sped up his spinning, his form becoming little more than a blur in the speed of his spin.

The downside to his whirlwind spin was that he couldn't see a thing. Just glowing blurs that would disappear as his blade met them. To Lilith, however, any spirit that came whithin five feet of her master were sliced in two. They dispersed into a fine, golden mist upon death, leaving neither body nor blood. Of course, this trick only worked for so long. After the first ten or so spirits fell, the rest backed off and waited for Radae to stop spinning.

"Lilith." Radae said, his voice almost vibrating as he spun, "I need you to cover me when I stop spinning." Rather than voice her affirmative, Lilith shifted into a crouching position under her Master.

Radae's form began to become more clear as he slowed, until eventually coming to a complete stop. Lilith sprang up as her master crouched down, creating a wavering shield around his body as he recuperated from his trick.

Though stronger demons posess magic and abilities, Lilith, having cut her power to recieve Radae's favor, had very little. Add to that the fact that she was completely outnumbered. She was doing her best just to keep the spirits from getting at Radae, and their sheer numbers were beginning to get the best of her.

"Master! Hurry!" She urged, lifting her shield to block a spirits spear.

"I feel sick." He mumbled. He dispelled the shield protecting him and stood up, lifting his staff to chest level and parellel to the ground. "Hug me!" Radae called. Lilith disengaged from the spirit she'd been fighting and dashed the few feet toward her Master. She slipped underneath his staff and wrapped her arms around his chest. Once she was in place, Radae channeled mana into his staff and shaped it into a whirlwind.

"How many blades can you summon?" He called over the roaring winds.

"Depends on the size." Lilith replied.

"Make small ones, about four inches!"

"I can make about seven. Ten if I unsummon your staff." Radae shook his head, needing his staff to continue shaping magic to such a large degree. Lilith summoned the seven small blades, which were instantly snatched away by the wind. As planned, the blades were pitched from the whirlwind and into the crowd of spirits, killing whatever they managed to hit.

"I'm running out of mana." Radae informed. He'd need to cut off the whirlwind if he was to retain enough mana to channel blades on his staff. "When I cut the whirlwind, I'll need you to clear a path to the leader."

"I may be able to clear a path with magic, but it'll drain me for the rest of the battle." Lilith warned, "You'll need to end this without my help."

"It'll have to work." He replied. "I'm going to cut it... NOW!" At the word, the wind surrounding the duo ceased, the sudden lack of air flow causing a minor sense of vertigo to those too close to where the whirlwind once stood. Lilith slipped out from under Radae's arms and threw her arms forward. A ripple flew through the air in front of her body, across a crowd of Spirits, and stopping just short of the leader.

"Go!" She yelled. The next few moments astounded Radae, to say the least. The spirits unlucky enough to be caught whithin the ripple disintegrated into golden dust less than an instant after Lilith called out. The spirits whithin a few feet of the ripple where thrown over their comerades, opening up a space large enough for the mage to run through.

Praying his feet would carry him fast enough, the elf ran through the gap in the horde of spirits towards the leader.

"FOR ONE SUCH AS YOU TO APPROACH ME IS UNACCEPTABLE." The spirit boomed, lifting it's sheild and mace into a battle stance. Radae channeled his mana into a broadblade shape, leaping into the air and beginning the duel with a powerful downwards strike. The spirit lifted it's sheild and deflected the attack, light blue sparks flying from where mana met ethreal steel. The spirit lifted it's mace and swung it at the mage's head. Radae dropped to the ground, the space between his head and the mace so small that it caught a lock of his hair as it passed.

"You are rather skilled." The spirit complimented, lifting it's sheild to deflect another blow from Radae's blade. "But any warrior of my calibur would be able to tell you've never had any formal training in the way of the blade."

"That's true." Radae admitted, leaping backwards to avoid a blow from the spirit's mace. "Really, all my moves come from watching the warriors of my clan battle. My skill lies in my magic."

"Well then, you're in quite a bit of trouble." The spirit laughed, swining it's sheild at Radae in an attempt to throw him off balance. "From what I can tell, in order to turn that staff of yours into a weapon, you need to use mana. And we both know that you have very little of that, along with the knowledge that you have no chance of besting me in a duel."

"You're pretty observant." Radae said, leaping away from the spirits blows, "Have you noticed my eyes yet?"

"In passing."

"Well, check this out." The blue dots in the Mage's eyes lit up, illuminating his face in an eerie blue glow. "They're connected to the Fade, allowing my spirit easy passage past the Veil. As you may know, the Fade is the source of all Magic. Because my body is connected physically as well as spiritually to the Fade, me running out of mana isn't that much of an issue." To prove his point, Radae dropped his staff and held his hand towards his opponent. A bolt of lightning leapt from his fingers, striking the spirit mid-chest and throwing him backwards.

The spirit flew several yards before landing with a loud _Thud!_ "There's more." Radae laughed, electricity dancing along his arms. "Ask yourself. Do you really want to face a Mage with unlimited mana?"

The spirit struggled to it's feet, a scorch mark decorating it's glowing chestpiece. While it's face was hidden from view, it was easy to see the hesitation in it's body language. "...You have emerged victorious, Impure one. Know, however, that we will not stop until you are vanquished." The warrior turned and began walking away. He didn't move any more than ten feet before there was a flash of light and he disappeared. The remnants of the army followed suit, disappearing in one large collective flash.

"Master!" Lilith called, running to his side. "That was amazing! You made him think you were out of mana so he'd let you get close!" She flashed a toothy grin, wrapping her arms around the mage and burying her head in his chest.

"Heh... Actually," He laughed, "I really was out of mana. I thought I could beat him in a duel, but when I realized how good he was I just kinda," He paused to find the right word, "bluffed..."

"...Wait, what?" Lilith took a step back to look Radae in the eye.

"I really am tapped out. I used the last of my mana on those electric spells. It's a good thing he didn't call my bluff, or we'd be dead..." It was Radae's turn to flash a grin, obviously pleased with himself.

Lilith stared blankly at him for a few moments, before leaning her head against his chest once more. "Just so long as you don't do it again. Maybe you should listen to me next time."

"Come on! We didn't even get injured!" Radae laughed.

"Master, you have several large wounds on your back." Lilith replied, "You didn't notice them, but a few spirits threw weapons at you when you dashed at the leader."

"...Oh..."

"And don't expect this tactic to work again. I'm sure next time they'll send someone with the ability to read mana levels."

Radae's smile disappeared as Lilith moved around to heal his back. "Maybe next time I'll just listen to you."

Radae decided he'd need to get back to his body shortly after the battle. Lilith would question the Demon they'd caught and attempt to find out as much as possible about their foe. Confident that the Purity spirit wouldn't send any more of it's underlings for a while, the mage returned to his body.

Radae's eyes opened slowly, the trees around him gradually clearing into an image. He leapt to his feet and grabbed his staff from the tree he'd leaned it against, noting that it felt more natural than the one in the Fade, and turned toward the direction of camp. He could tell by the smell of smoke and sweat that it was fairly close, no more than a few minutes walk.

"I wonder how Alynna is." He wondered aloud.

"If he does not get here soon, I will break his legs." The rogue growled, gripping the daggers at her sides.

"I'm sure there's a reason he hasn't come." Alistair said, patting Alynna's shoulder. They'd left the mess hall a few minutes ago and were now waiting in Radae's tent. "Maybe he's been slaying darkspawn, getting an early start on the whole Grey Warden thing."

"I do not care if he is slaying the archdemon, he should have told me where he was going." Alynna sighed, "He knows that I worry about him." There were footsteps outside the tent, and the flap pulled aside to reveal a certain elven mage. Moving quicker than Alistair or Radae could register, Alynna grabbed her brother by the collar and pinned him to the floor of the tent.

"Vash'ishtala!" She yelled, "Bal'atama were you that malash'ta!" Knowing what was coming next, Radae lifted his arms in front of his face. Alynna's fist rained down on his forearms, her words switching between Fereldian and Dalish. Alistair pulled her off Radae, holding her arms behind her back until she calmed down.

"I was with Asha'bellanar and her daughter!" Radae explained, sitting up and rubbing his steadily bruising forearms. Alynna's eyes widened and her struggles were revived.

"Why would you go back there?" She growled, once more subdued by Alistair.

"The Witch... She helped me with a few spells I've been studying." Radae answered. It was true, to a point.

"You shouldn't take advice from her." Alistair warned, "She's... I dunno, not good." He sighed in frustration, at a loss for the correct words. "She just doesn't feel right, y'know?" Radae nodded, understanding how someone could be put off by her strange behavior.

"I won't return to her." He promised, "And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was leaving." Alistair released Alynna, who quickly hugged her brother.

"I was worried." She whispered, quiet enough for only Radae to hear. The mage nodded as she released him, not planning on leaving without her again.

"You've both had a long day, perhaps you should relax for a while." Alistair suggested, moving towards the tent's exit. Just before he could grab the flap, it was flung aside. Duncan was standing in the entrance, looking over the two newest Wardens.

"Good, you're up." He said, "I trust you feel well." Brother and sister nodded in unison, "Excellent. The darkspawn are attacking, get your things and meet me in the strategy tent." He turned and left, his quick pace carrying him through the crowd of Wardens dashing around camp, leaving three dumbfounded Wardens sitting in a tent.

"Well..." Alistair sighed, "I'll take you there once you're ready."

"So... We won't actually be in the battle?" Alistair asked, shoulders sagging in disappointment.

"Your role will be very important in this battle." Duncan answered, "You three go up to the top of the Tower and light the signal fire, which will tell the Teyrn and his army," He gestured to the tall man in steel armor across the table, "to attack from the horde's flank."

"It seems like a good idea." Radae said, "My mana is low, so I doubt I'd be much more than a hinderance." Alynna seemed a little offput by the prospect of not fighting with the army, but she didn't voice it.

"Please, Duncan." Alistair begged, "I want to fight with the rest of the Wardens."

"Alistair, I can't trust anyone else with this job." Duncan replied, walking to the tent's entrance, "Please, humor an old man." Alistair sighed, nodding in defeat. "Thank you for your understanding." Duncan said, leaving the tent.

"Don't worry." King Calin, dressed in golden armor and standing next to the Teyrn, said. "We'll probably obliterate the darkspawn in a matter of minutes, so it won't be much of a battle anyways!" Alistair bowed to the king and left, not bothering to reply to Calins optimism. The elven twins quickly followed the templar, both visibly uncomfortable in the presence of such high-ranking human officials.

"The Tower of Ishal is this way."

Radae dove out of the way of the ogre as it charged. They'd arrived at the tower to find it overrun with darkspawn, forcing them to fight their way up. Radae, of course, had the most trouble. He'd used up most of his mana in the Fade, and hadn't had a chance to drink a lyrium potion, which left him nearly useless. With what little mana he could recharge, he found that his spells weren't nearly as powerful in the Fade. Such feats like the whirlwind he'd summoned were nearly impossible at his current level, unfortunately.

The trio managed to fight their way up to the top of the tower, where the signal fire was to be lit. That's when they found the ogre. A large, dark-skinned creature with horns nearly four feet long. It stood easily over ten feet tall, limbs bulging with muscle and easily capable of killing a man. Needless to say, they were scared out of their minds.

Which brings us back to the beginning. The ogre immediately targeted what it thought would be the easiest to kill, the unarmored elf. It was surprisingly fast for something of it's size, but the adrenaline pulsing through Radae's veins helped him dodge the charge. Alynna, the fastest on her feet of the three, immediately dashed at the monstrous darkspawn.

The ogre, having finished it's charge, turned around just in time to see Alynna dash between it's legs. Pulling her daggers from their sheaths on her hips, she cut the muscles behind each of the ogre's knees. It's dark blood flew from the wounds, coating Alynna's arms in dark crimson liquid. Knowing the ogre would fall, the elven rogue dashed back to her brother, narrowly escaping being flattened by the toppled monster.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Alistair cheered, patting her on the shoulder.

"Our foe is not yet slain." Alynna growled, eyes following the ogre as it stood back up.

Radae stepped forward, "I doubt he'll be able to move as fast as before, but he's still a threat should he get close to us." The mage unstrapped his staff from his back and pointed it at the monster before them. "Try to distract it while I build my mana back up. If I can freeze it's feet in place you should have an opening to go for the throat." Alynna and Alistair nodded, moving cautiously toward the injured ogre.

Pounding it's hands on the ground, the ogre roared. The sound shook the torches in their holsters on the walls, and resonated whithin Radae's chest. Ignoring it, however, the mage closed his eyes. He'd need to trust Alynna and Alistair to hold the beast off while he meditated. Once he began focusing on it, he could feel his mana begin to return, filling his limbs with strength.

"Brother!" Came a shout. Radae opened his eyes in time to see the ogre's fist swinging at him.

"Freeze!" He called, unleashing what little mana he'd accumulated in a desparate spell around the ogre's feet. He felt the ogre's fist smash into his upper body, and then everything went black.

Alynna screamed. A piercing wail, filled with a mix of sorrow, fear and, most of all, rage. She watched as Radae's limp body flew like a ragdoll across the room and slam into the wall, leaving an alarming amount of blood as he slid to the ground. His spell had worked, the ogre's feet now frozen to the ground. The spell hadn't been complete, however, so the ice was quickly cracking beneath the ogre's struggles. Alynna tried to get up, tried to run at the ogre and slice it's neck open. However, all her electrified, numbed limbs could do was sit there, unaware of when they'd given up and fallen to the ground, while Alistair ran at the ogre.

The templar threw his sheild at the ogre, catching it off guard long enough for him to dash in and leap. He hit the beast in the chest dead on, his weight causing it to topple to the ground. Not waisting any time, Alistair pointed the tip of his blade at the bottom of the monster's chin and pushed. The steel made a rasping sound as it slid through the jaw and the roof of the mouth straight into the brain. The ogre spasmed, throwing Alistair off it, and then was still.

"Alynna!" Alistair called, "Check on Radae, I'll light the fire." The rogue sat completely still, not registering what he'd said. "NOW!" The extra volume snapped Alynna out of her stupor enough to run towards her brother, who sat unnervingly still against the wall.

"!" She cried, holding her blood-coated hands against Radae's blood-coated neck to check for a pulse...

...

...Bump-bump.

Tears exploded from her eyes as Alynna began checking Radae's injuries. Most of his ribs were broken, as was his nose and collarbone. The back of his head had a rather large cut on the back from when he'd hit the wall, as did his neck, back and arms. His skull was probably fractured. Then there was the internal bleeding.

Still.

He was alive.

"Damn!" Alistair cursed, watching the battlefield from the window. "Damn it all to hell!" He turned and looked at Alynna, "The Teyrn has betrayed us."


	5. The injured Elf has a dream

C-c-c-combo! I've been gone so long that I figure I'll post a few chapters at once. Enjoy!

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><p>"Your soul is growing in power."<p>

Radae opened his eyes to see the eerie landscape of the Fade spread out before him. Memories of what had just occured to his body flew through his mind, panic setting in. "Lilith!" he called, looking around for his demoness. She was nowhere in sight, but he wasn't alone.

"Welcome, boy." Flemeth greeted, "A little strange to fall asleep in the middle of a battle, don't you think?" She laughed, hands behind her back. She wore, surprisingly enough, the same rags he'd seen her in back at her hut.

"Flemeth!" Radae said, standing and running toward her. "Do you know if I'm dead?" It was a serious question, no matter how strange it sounded.

"You yet live, boy." Flemeth answered, "My daughter now cares for you and your friends in my hut."

"My friends... What happened?"

"Your sister and that templar managed to kill the ogre that so nearly killed you." Flemeth answered, a hint of disappointment in her voice, "Honestly, you're a mage for Maker's sake... After they slayed the ogre, they were overrun by darkspawn entering the tower, and would be dead if I hadn't rescued them."

"Thank you." Radae said, bowing to the old woman.

"No thanks needed." Flemeth replied, "All you need to do is take Morrigan with you when you leave, as promised."

"I will." He promised.

"Master!" Radae turned around to see Lilith quickly gliding over the ground towards him "Master! Get away from her!"

"But I know her." Radae stated, catching the demoness when she ran into him. "She's the one who taught me how to slip past the Veil. She's also the reason I'm alive right now."

"Master, this is the sixth Demon lord, She who devours Gluttony." Lilith said, tugging him away from the old woman.

"No, this is Flemeth." the elf insisted, "I met her a few days ago, in the Wilds. I just saw her earlier today."

"Is it not possible that I am both?" Flemeth asked. "You can't possibly think you're the only mortal with a Demon Lords soul? While your case is special, it is not the only of it's kind. In fact, there is another Demon Lord who was mortal as well."

"...So then, you knew I would be a Demon Lord? When you trained me?"

"I knew you had the potential, boy, whether or not you actually succeed had yet to be seen." Flemeth stated, "You, unlike me, have a very easy time slipping into the Fade. If you do become a Demon Lord it will significantly boost our power, as you'll be able to act as an agent in the realm of mortals."

"To help Demons possess humans." Lilith finished, eyebrows raised.

"You're a quick one." Flemeth complimented, "The Circle doesn't know as much as it likes to believe. Demons and Spirits have a bit of a war going on."

"The Demon Lords and the Spirit Lords have been warring for the Makers favor for centuries." Lilith explained, "Most Spirits and Demons keep out of it, though."

"Any Demon or Spirit under a Lords favor, however, fights." Flemeth continued, "And considering their power, that's quite a few. You see, there are only six Demon Lords, while there are seven Spirit Lords. Due to the amount each Lord has under their command, this puts us at a bit of a disadvantage. So, we've been looking for our Seventh."

"Me." Radae said, crossing his arms.

"Yes. You're the only being with a chance of becoming a Demon Lord in the near future, along with your uncanny ability to pass through the Veil. You, in turn, can assist other Demons in passing through the Veil, and assist them in possessing mortals. Every Demon that possesses a mortal has it's power boosted, effectively increasing our fighting power."

"However, there's a catch. If you die, your spirit will not continue to grow in power. It is the connection to the Eluvian Shards in your eyes that strengthens it, and if that connection is cut, your soul will be no more than that of a corrupted mortal."

"So, don't die?" Radae laughed, "I hadn't planned on it."

"Good." Flemeth smiled, "I'll be leaving you two now. You're wounds have been tended to, but you probably shouldn't wake up for a few more minutes. We were out of pain relieving herbs, you see, and the spells Morrigan used take a while to completely heal wounds." At that, Flemeth's image faded away.

"What are the chances that you'd know Lord of Gluttony?" Lilith marveled, "It's rather amazing, actually."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Radae replied, "What happened to that demon? The one we captured earlier?"

"She's... yours now." Lilith answered, "I forced some of your favor upon her, she's completely under your command."

"How can favor be forced?" the mage asked, "It doesn't really make sense."

"Well, when favor is given, the recipitent still retains the ability to say no." Lilith explained, "When favor is forced, the victim recieves physical pain when they refuse their Master. However, you'd need to capture and weaken a demon in order to force favor, which is rather time consuming, so it's generally not done."

"Wasn't she under the Spirit's favor?"

"Yes. However, all I had to do was take away the piece of her Master she had."

"Which was?" Radae asked, slightly afraid of the answer. Lilith held up a finger that didn't belong to her.

"He put some of his skin on her finger." The demoness explained, "So, I cut off her finger." It appeared to be a pinky finger. "Don't worry, I cast a spell to stop the bleeding, so now she's just missing a finger."

"Where is she now?" Radae asked, looking around.

"Over here, Master." Came a voice. Radae turned to see a figure emerging from behind a rock in the direction Lilith had come from. "Lilith had me hide, as she did not know how you would react if you saw me charging you." She spoke very carefully, as though thouroughly weighing her words before saying them. She still wore the armor from before, however her helmet had been removed. Unlike Lilith, who looked like an average Desire demon, his newest charge looked more human. She stood around five and a half feet tall, which, since Radae was taller when in the Fade, meant her head came up to his chest, like Lilith. Her hair was pitch black and hung straight down, cut short in front so it didn't hang into her eyes. Two small demon horns poked out from beneath her hair, their bright red tips standing out against the obsidian of her hair. As he'd seen earlier, her eyes were a light, piercing blue. He noticed her left hand was missing the pinky finger.

"What's your name?" Radae asked, placing his hand on her head.

"I have no name." She replied. "However, I once guided a young girl who went by Gabriella, if it pleases you."

"Then we'll call you Gabriella." The mage decided. "Now tell me, what happened to the way you talked? Where'd the 'thou' and 'knowest' stuff go?"

"My previous Master ordered all lower ranked spirits to speak in such a manner." Gabriella explained, "If it pleases you, I can speak that way once more."

"No, it was a little annoying." He answered, Lilith nodding in agreement. "You seem to be taking this very well."

"Master?"

"You've been forcibly favored by Lilith, and must now do whatever I say, yet you seem alright with it."

"I am not overjoyed, yet I am not saddened." Gabriella said, "My previous Master favored me against my will, as an experiment to see if it was possible. I wasn't happy, but I learned that trying to resist resulted in pain, so I just accepted it. Now that I am yours, I am no longer under the rule of a Spirit, which is good, yet I am still whithout my free will, which is not good."

"I'll listen to your opinions, if it makes you feel better about this." Radae offered.

Gabriella nodded, "It would, though your history of listening to subordinates opinions isn't very impressive." She added, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face.

"Hey, you know what would be good?" Lilith asked, grinning. "You should favor her for real! Break the new girl in!"

"No." Radae abruptly responded, "I want her to trust me, and doing the same thing her previous Master did wouldn't be the way to go about it."

"Appreciated." Gabriella quipped, glancing briefly at Lilith.

"She'll need to ask for it." Radae continued. The armored Demoness' gaze returned to her Master, eyebrows raised.

"I doubt that will happen."

"Yeah, Master!" Lilith pouted, "She's so stuck up, I doubt she'll ever even think about it."

"Then it won't happen." Radae stated, "Now, on to more important matters. What do you know about these Spirit and Demon Lords?"

"Not much, really." Lilith replied, "Aside from their titles and appearances, they're a mystery."

"You'd figure knowing their appearances would make them less mysterious."

"In the Fade, appearance can change with a whim. All that's known is their prefferred forms." Gabriella explained.

"What about their titles?" Radae asked.

"In order, the Demon Lords are Murder, Envy, War, Lust, Revenge, and Gluttony." Lilith answered, "It's assumed they're named after a personality trait or a special ability, but most just think they liked the words."

"And the Spirit Lords?"

"Those are Faith, Love, Peace, Truth, Selflessness, Honor, and Purity, my former Master." Gabriella said, "They've taken names after a human aspect that they admired and have sworn to uphold."

"What about Purity? Anything you can tell us about him?"

"Her, actually." Gabriella corrected, "She's the newest Spirit Lord, and the one with the least followers. This is due in part to her relatively new seat as a Lord, but it is also due to her Ideal. Purity isn't generally favored among Spirits, most admiring Justive or Love above such a trivial thing as how pure something is." Here she stopped and laughed, "It's funny. She gave me 'pure intentions', forcing me to swear my loyalty to her cause whenever questioned about it."

"That's why you seemed so adamant earlier?" Lilith asked.

"Yes. A failure to say such things usually lead to pain," Gabriella replied, "rather admiral actually. While her Ideals are that of a Spirit, her tactics and behavior are decidedly Demonic. I can't complain, it made working for her less infuriating."

"That reminds me, what kind of Demon where you before you were forcibly favored?" Radae asked.

"I think it's Desire, like me." Lilith guessed. "The way you avoid sex makes you seem a bit like a tease."

"I am a Demon of Wrath." Gabriella replied, "We are more inclined to pain than pleasure."

"I thought you disliked pain? After all, you avoided it when you were under the favor of the Purity spirit, right?" Radae questioned.

"That pain was... Different." She shuddered, "Ours is a physical pain, one that you feel in your flesh and bone. The kind that she caused was deeper. As though it was a part of my own soul rebelling against me."

"The bond of a favor is that deep?" The mage asked, amazed.

"It's why you fight so hard to protect me." Lilith replied, "It affects both sides. We feel a need to please you, and you feel a need to defend us. Hadn't you noticed?" He'd never thought about it. When he'd protected Lilith from the Spirits, it had just seemed like what he'd needed to do. But that raised another question.

"If Masters feel a need to protect their subordinates, why did that Purity Spirit send hers to be slaughtered by us?"

"Simple." Gabriella replied, "She thought you'd be easier to beat. The fact that you killed so many of her vassals is what keeps her from attacking again, for now at least." Upon seeing the look on Radae's face, the Wrath Demoness continued. "She's afraid that sending them will lead to their deaths. She cares deeply for them, and the fact that you've killed so many makes her feel less inclined to try again."

"It'll wear off eventually, though." Lilith continued, "Once the shock and sorrow of losing her vassals has faded, all that will be left is rage and a need for revenge."

"Then I'll just need to get stronger." Radae decided. "I'll start using the Eluvian pieces to learn more about spells and magic. The way I figure it, the stronger I am in my body, the stronger I'll be here."

"It will be interesting to see, at least." Gabriella said, crossing her arms. "And it'll be nice to show those Purity bastards true and beautiful pain."

"And once you're a Demon Lord, we'll move into the Black City!" Lilith cheered, "I can't wait!"

"I'm going to return to my body, try to stay out of trouble until I return." Radae ordered, already beginning to slide through the Veil and back to his body.

Radae's eyes opened slowly, thankful for the relatively low light in the room. It was rather run-down, though definitely lived in. Probably Flemeths Hut.

"About time you woke." Morrigan stated, walking in through the only door in the room. Radae sat up, surprised to find little more than aches in his back.

"You healed me?" He asked, sitting against the headboard of the bed.

"My mother and I, yes." The Witch replied, "She brought you from that Tower and told me to treat your injuries, so it is her you should thank."

"What about Alistair and Alynna? How are they."

Morrigan sighed, "As I told you before, they're outside with Mother. Unlike you, they suffered very little injuries overall, though the girl was raising quite a fuss when you arrived." Radae thanked Morrigan and threw the blankets off, revealing his scantly clad body. Other than a few bandages wrapped around his torso, all he wore were his underwear. Morrigan handed him a robe, as his other one was completely ruined, which luckily fit. A bit small, but it was better than nothing.

After clothing himself, Radae searched the room for his staff. "It was lost in the tower." Morrigan stated, seeing his eyes frantically searching the room. "Mother barely managed to grab you and your friends, she missed your staff." Radae's hands fell to his sides. That staff was a part of him, and he felt more naked than before he'd put the robes on. Plus, without it directing his mana, spellcasting would require much more concentration. The elf sighed dejectedly, vowing to return to the tower and retrieve his staff one day.

Radae walked through the huts door and into the humid air of the Wilds. In addition to it's usuall dank and rotten smell, the air smelt of death and smoke, the latter of which he could see floating up into the air from the direction of Ostagar. What had happened? Had Alistair and Alynna managed to defeat the Ogre? Had the signal fire not been lit? He turned away from the pillar of smoke to see the figures of Alistair and Alynna embracing each other.

"He's fine," Radae could hear Alistair whisper, "He'll be up soon."

"Who?" The Mage asked jokingly. Alynna's ears twitched at the sound of his voice, her body suddenly slipping from Alistairs embrace and running towards Radae. She hit him full speed, the force knocking them down to the ground. Alynna wrapped her arms around him and sobbed, her words uninteligable through her tears. Tears of joy? Sorrow? Who knew? While she put on a brave face most of the time, she had always been the emotionally fragile of the two. She clearly needed the emotional support, and who better than her twin brother?

He didn't know how long they'd been laying on the damp earth when they heard Flemeths voice. "My daughter and I spent the better part of the night healing that boy, don't go giving him a cold just as he's recovering." Alynna, who's sobbing had faded into tearless wimpering, nodded and stood, easily pulling her brother along. Once they were standing, Alynna grasped Radae's hand.

"Good." Flemeth nodded, hands clasped calmly behind her back. "Now, as you may or may not know, Ostagar has fallen, and with it, the Grey Warden army." Alistairs fists clenched, and Alynna's grip on Radae's hand increased. "You three are the only Grey Wardens left in all of Ferelden, and so it is up to you to stop this Blight."

Alistair stepped forward, "How?" He demanded, "How are we, two newly recruited Wardens and a slightly-less-new Warden, going to do that? The army is wiped out, Duncan is gone, and so is the King!" Radae could feel Alynna's muscles tense, hoping she'd be able to resist breaking down again. "And to top it off, Teyrn Loghain betrayed us and probably wants us dead!"

Wait...What? "Teyrn Loghain?" Radae asked, "That man in the steel armor who stood next to the human King?" Alynna nodded, "Why would he betray us?" The defeat at Ostagar suddenly made sense. There was no way they would've lost with the strategy Duncan had laid out, and he had no doubt that Alistair and Alynna would've been able to light the signal fire.

"Who knows?" Flemeth answered. "All that matters now is that you go and begin building an army." Alistair clenched his fists again, though this time he stayed quiet. Morrigan walked out of the hut, a few scrolls clutched in her hands.

"Here they are." The Witch announced, handing the papers to her mother.

"Here is where you begin." The old lady informed, handing the papers to Radae. "Those are the Treaties you were sent to gather yesterday."

"The Treaties?" Alistair wondered, stepping forward and grabbing one from Radae. He unfurled the scroll and read it over, his blue eyes widening. "They are! Where did you get these?" He glanced suspiciously at the two Witches.

"That doesn't matter." Flemeth stated. "I've given you the means, now it is up to you to build an army."

"Mother," Morrigan interrupted, "if there's nothing else I need to check on the stew."

"Just a minute, girl." Flemeth commanded, a smirk on her face. "I want you to go with them."

Damn. Flemeth was calling on their agreement.

"Mother, surely you jest." Morrigan asked, hands on her hips.

"You, of all people, should know that I don't make jokes." Flemeth growled, "These Wardens need all the help they can get, and you aren't needed here." Morrigan seemed as though she was about to argue, but the look in her mothers eyes stopped her. Her jaw tensed, clearly in frustration, and she turned to the Wardens.

"I suppose I'll go, if you'll have me."

Alistair placed his hand on Radae's shoulder, "I don't think that's a good idea." He warned. Alynna, though she didn't voice it, seemed to be against the idea as well.

"I want her to come." Radae lied. "She knows the terrain around here, and it can't hurt to have another Mage with us." Alistair frowned, but nodded. Alynna glanced from her brother to Morrigan and back, before nodding.

"Splendid." Morrigan growled sarcasticly. "Well, I suppose I'll be leaving then. Don't forget to take the pot off the fire or the stew will burn."

"I got along well enough before you, there's no need to remind me." Flemeth growled, "Now go. Time is of the essence."

"So, where do we go first?" Alistair asked. They'd been walking for the better part of an hour, mostly in silence. Alynna had managed to calm herself down, much to Radae's relief.

"What do the Treaties say?" He asked, walking next to his sister.

"We have the right to command help from the Elves, the Dwarves, and the Circle of Magi." The templar relpied, "We should also check in with a friend of mine, Arl Eamon. He'll know what to do better than I." Radae thought briefly on the matter before answering.

"We'll split into two groups." He said, "Morrigan and I will go straight to the Circle, you and Alynna will go through Lothering to the Elves in the Brecillian Forest." Both Alistair and Alynna protested, of course.

"I really don't think cutting our numbers in half will help!" He argued. "Strength in numbers, right?"

"I do not wish to be separated from you, brother." Alynna chimed in, "Nor do I wish for you to be alone with that Witch." Morrigan, who was leading the group, laughed at the comment.

"Yes, splitting our numbers is a risk, and I don't want to be separate from you either, sister." Radae agreed, "But time is of the essence here. I'd rather get injured because of a lack of numbers than doom all of Ferelden because we were too late to gather our armies."

"Why do you not send Alistair with the Witch?" Alynna asked, "He can neutralize magic, so it would be safer."

"I chose these pairs because they're the most practical." Radae explained, "The Circle will probably respond better to two mages, even if they're apostates. You and Alistair should go to the elves because you're both more physically oriented. Having a former First come into a neighboring clan will probably unnerve some of them, and you're the only other Dalish in our group, sister."

"Well then, why send us up through Lothering?" Alistair asked, "Why aren't you coming with us?"

"Morrigan and I are both capable of moving quickly through the wilderness. We'll take the roads when we can, but it's going to be a straight shot there."

"The forests where we Dalish live are full of giant, poisonous spiders." Alynna explained, "He wants us to go to Lothering to stock up on antidote in case we get bitten." Alistair sighed before looking back at Radae.

"Then I suppose that's how we'll do it." He agreed, "We'll meet at Arl Eamons estate afterwards, talk to him, then head up to Orzammar." Radae agreed, and the group was silent until Lothering.

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><p>LE GASP! Exposition? PLOT! WHEREISTEHPR0N?<p> 


	6. Team of Magi

_Outside Lothering_

Radae waved to his sister and Alistair as they walked into the city, Morrigan standing with her hands crossed next to him.

"Are you going to stand there waving all day," She sighed, "or are we going to travel to the Circle Tower?" Radae lowered his arm and turned toward the Witch. "We're out of the Wilds now, so neither of us know the territory. A full on sprint will just tire us out, which means we'll probably be walking most of the way. Even with your little shortcuts, it will take us over a week before we reach the Tower, weather permitting. I don't want to waste any time."

"Sorry." Radae replied, a sad look adorning his face. "My sister and I have never been separated for more than a few days at a time, I'm a little frightened."

"Spare me the story." Morrigan growled. "The Tower is north-west of here, I suggest we start moving."

And move they did.

_Four days later_

Radae and Morrigan sat around a fire, both mages staring deep into the flames. Neither wanted to show weakness to the other, so breaks were not requested. It hadn't been until they'd both collapsed hours earlier that they agreed to rest. Radae's robes had torn in the thorny underbrush, and they now resembled more of a long-tailed coat. Morrigan's stockings had ripped as well, and the witch had long since taken them off. Both were barefoot, finding that they were more comfortable with their feet on the forest floor.

"If you're hungry, I can go catch something." Radae offered.

"I can catch things myself, if that's what you're implying." Morrigan snapped.

"I was just offering to find some food, in case you were hungry." Radae replied, his voice taking on a rather agressive tone.

"I am not!" Morrigan answered, "But if you'd like to eat without me, you may."

"I'm not hungry either." The elf's stomach began growling, as though in disagreement. Morrigan opened her mouth to remark, but her stomach began growling as well. Both mages frowned, before standing from their seats.

"I'll go find something to eat." They said in unison. Each turned and dashed off into the woods.

Meanwhile, hiding in the shadows cast by the fire, a voice chuckled. "They are both equally pig-headed. In fact, their similarities far outnumber their differences." A pair of deep blue eyes briefly caught the light from the fire before disappearing once more, "They'd probably be fast friends, in another timeline." Two pairs of footprints could be heard sprinting back to camp, before both mages burst into the light of the fire.

"I caught dinner!" They both cheered, raising their catches up for the other to see. Both held rabbits, both rabbits were the same size. The mages growled, before sitting back down on their respective logs and skinning their catch. Off in the shadows, the faint outline of a grinning face could be made out.

"At least they're entertaining."

_Next morning_

"Wake up."

Radae lifted his knee to his chest, Morrigans foot bouncing off his shin. She'd been waking him up with a kick every day since they'd been traveling together, and he'd become accustomed to it. The elf opened his eyes, the sunlight that managed to filter through the branches in the trees luckily not strong enough to blind him. Radae shifted, the leafs covering him falling from his body. He shook the remaining dirt and dead fauna from his body, earning a snort of disgust from Morrigan.

"Do all Dalish sleep in filth?" She asked, "Or is this a personal choice?"

"It keeps me warm and makes me harder to see." Radae responded, picking a twig from his hair. "That's of no importance, though. We're almost to the Circle tower."

"Yes, joy. The monument to our kinds enslavement by the Chantry." The witch spat, "You'll have to forgive me if I don't seem enthusiastic."

"I'm not happy about going, either." The mage retorted, crossing his arms, "The prospect of being near a Templar just...I dunno, unsettles me." Morrigan smirked, but agreed. The two grabbed their bags and continued their running, though a great deal slower this time.

"So this is Lake Calenhad." Radae marvled, gazing over the endless expanse of deep blue water. "I've never seen so much water in one place." It was making him nervous. Most bodies of water he'd encountered were shallow enough for him to stand in, but that wasn't the only reason.

As a Dalish, he'd rarely left the forest. Having the constant closeness of the trees around him was a part of his life, and even the ruins of Ostagar had walls and boundaries. There, however, on the shores of the lake, there were no walls, no trees, just an endless expanse of open space. The emptiness felt threatening, as though it was going to suck him into it. He crossed his arms, mostly to keep his hands from shaking.

"We'll need to find a boat across." Morrigan sighed, "I think there's a few buildings over that way, maybe we'll find someone." Her finger pointed to a small group of houses, maybe four or five strong. One was bigger than the rest, most likely an inn or tavern of some sort. Radae nodded, eager to go inside. The two began walking towards the building, Morrigan gazing out over the water while Radae kept his eyes on the grass beneath his feet.

"It's rather beautiful." Morrigan observed, "If one cares for such things, that is." Radae laughed, but said nothing. If Morrigan noticed something was wrong, she didn't say anything.

"Have you ever left the Wilds?" Radae asked, grasping for something with which to start a conversation.

"A few times." Morrigan replied, "Mother frowned upon it, though." She smiled, as though recalling a fond memory, "Once, I snuck out and followed a caravan. There was a handmirror in one of the bags. It was silver, with a little gold rose on the back. I stole it and brought it back to show Flemeth. She shook with rage when she saw it, then took it from me and threw it to the ground. The glass broke, as did the handle."

"That sounds horrible." Radae said, shocked, "Why?"

"I don't exactly know." Morrigan sighed, "Perhaps it reminded her of her time with the humans... What about you? Have you ever left your forest?"

"Leaving for Ostagar was the first time." Radae answered, "To the Dalish it's Family, Nature, Clan. To leave any of the three is almost unthinkable." He gave a short laugh, "And here I am, separated from two and about to leave the third. Aren't I the grown-up?"

"Can you not simply go back to your clan when this Blight is over?" Morrigan asked.

"Yes, I can go back. But it's more 'if the Blight ends' than 'when the Blight is over.' With only three Grey Wardens, it's not seeming too promising."

"Well you have me." Morrigan pointed out, "Two mages is like having an army, if they're used properly." Radae shrugged.

"We'll just have to hope we get the support of the mages."

"We'll rest here for the night." Radae informed Morrigan. They were currently sitting in the inn near the Lake, neither having been sucessful in finding someone to boat them across. They decided to get some rest and try again the next day.

"I've rented our room." The elf continued, setting the key on the table between them.

"Room?" Morrigan asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"We're not exactly rich." Radae replied, "We're lucky we could afford the one." Morrigan sighed before raising her hands in resignation. "Anyways, I'm going to go sleep. I'll leave the door unlocked for when you arrive. Room seven." The elf grabbed his bag and left the tavern area. There was a door leading to a hallway near the back of the room, with doors lining the hallway for rooms.

The room Radae had rented was the last one on the right, a metal 7 hanging from the wooden door. He unlocked the door and walked in. His bag was dropped on the floor, the various potions contained were padded and received no damage, before stumbling over to the bed. He hadn't shown it to Morrigan, but he was dead tired. His limbs ached, his vision blurred with every heartbeat, and he was beginning to get a headache. It was in this sleep-deprived state that he hadn't realized there was only one bed in the room, which, after disrobing to his underclothes, he now occupied. It was roughly queen sized, with soft cotton sheets that only increased the rate at which sleep overtook the mage.

Radae 'awakened' in the Fade. He hadn't crossed the Veil since he'd awoken in Flemeths hut, as entering the Fade wasn't as restful as true, dreamless sleep.

The area around him was dark. He appeared to be standing in a cave of sorts, the entrance no more than ten feet away. There was just enough light spilling in for him to judge that there was about seven feet between walls, and the ceiling was around ten feet. The cave led deeper, but Radae wasn't in any mood to go exploring.

"Master!" Came a voice. The elf turned to face the entrance, glad to see Lilith. "I was getting worried!" The demoness turned and waved someone over. "He's here!" Footsteps could be heard, and Gabriella appeared next to Lilith.

"Good." Came the calm, airy voice of the Wrath Demon. At this point, she'd completely removed her armor. Now she wore something closer to chainmail, the metal radiating an aura of power. Her skirt was chainmail as well, with leather boots covering her feet. On her back, a rather wicked looking scythe was strapped.

"Have you two had much trouble with the Spirits?" Radae asked, concerned for his charges. Lilith shook her head, gesturing to Gabriella.

"She's a rather capable warrior, now that the clunky armor she wore has been removed." Radae looked to the ebony-haired Demoness.

"What's it like to be on the other side?" he asked.

"My old Master made me kill anything I fought right away." Gabriella grimaced, "Now I can cause as much pain as necessary. A rather refreshing change of pace." At this, she turned to leave. "If it pleases you, I'd like to guard the perimeter."

"There's no need," Radae offered, "I can't sense anything anywhere near here."

"Master," Gabriella explained, "for the past five days I've listened to that... slavering whore describe, in great detail, how much she wanted you to 'favor' her. I'd rather not be here for that." Radae blushed and nodded, allowing the Wrath Demoness to leave. Once Gabriella was no longer in sight, Lilith wrapped her arms around his chest.

"I think I need to be favored again." She breathed. Radae laughed and wrapped his arms around her, eliciting what can only be described as a purr.

"Are all Demoness' like this?" He asked, hands slipping down to her butt, "Or am I just amazingly attractive?"

"A little of both." Lilith responded, giving a small yelp when his hands cupped her buttocks. At this point, his cock had begun to grow, now at almost half it's full length. Radae lifted his demoness up, allowing his cock to fully stiffen and stand at full attention.

"I'd like to try something." Radae stated. Lilith, though puzzled, agreed. The elf spun her around and layed her down on her stomach. He knelt down between her legs and lifted her hips up to his waist, positioning himself at her dripping entrance. In one movement he shoved his entire length into the demoness, her cries audible even where Gabriella was standing guard.

There was something utterly intoxicating about the situation, Radae decided. His total control over her was satisfying, and felt right in a way he couldn't quite explain. He would later learn that the bond between them was growing, that the favor he'd bestowed upon her was taking it's full effect. Little did either know, of course, that Gabriella was beginning to feel it too. Her need to satisfy her Master was growing stronger, but it wasn't anywhere near strong enough to break her will.

"M-Master," Lilith stuttered, "this feels...so niiiiccceee." Radae smiled and began pumping in and out of his demoness. She, in turn, thrust her hips back to meet his, the slapping sound of their flesh meeting echoing through the cave. Lilith bit her lower lip, her nipples rubbing against the rough ground only adding to her pleasure.

Noticing how sensetive she seemed, Radae reached around and gently pinched her swolen purple clitoris. With a cry of pleasure, Lilith's walls squeezed and milked the gargantuan intruder, her cum splashing both on Radae's hips and the floor below. Her legs shook visibly from the pleasure, but held. Her Master, meanwhile, hadn't stopped thrusting through her orgasm. Breathless, the Demoness shakily pushed her torso up so the two were doing it 'Mabari Style', as most mercenaries called it.

"Master," Lilith moaned, "I'd like to try something." Curious, Radae slowed his thrusting to a stop. The purple haired Demoness reluctantly pulled her self from her Masters shaft, the connection between the two severing with a wet 'pop'. Lilith reached back and positioned his tip at her butt-hole, before gently sliding backwards. He was already lubricated from her pussy, and the juices definitely made things easier. Master and servant alike moaned as their hips slid closer together, taken aback by the new sensations. Neither had tried anal, but both knew they'd do it again.

"I don't think I can go much longer." Radae warned, his cock now completely embedded in her anus. Lilith, in a mix of pleasure and pain, could only nod. Taking it as a signal to go ahead, the elf began slowly pulling in and out of her rump. Her tightness felt almost as though it would strangle his cock, and the warmth was absolutely excuisite. Radae reached around and inserted two of his fingers in her snatch, earning louder moans from his servant. The Demoness placed her hands on her stomach, the feeling of being so absolutely full startling and pleasuring her.

"I'm cumming!" She exclaimed, as her insides clamped down around Radae's digits. Her anus tightened around his shaft as well, the extra squeezing pushing him over the edge. With a moan, the mortal spewed his considerable load into Lilith's guts, earning a final cry of pleasure from the spent Demoness.

"I think we should do that again." Radae stated as he began sliding his shaft from her depths.

"Wait!" Lilith exclaimed, "Leave it in a little longer. Please?" Radae smiled and nodded, wrapping his arms around her torso and pulling her back to his chest. He leaned his back against the wall of the cave and hugged his Demoness tighter, earning another small purr.

_Meanwhile, in the mortal world_

Morrigan walked into their shared room nearly an hour after Radae had left her in the tavern. The Witch, having drunk her first (and probably last) pint of ale, was just a little tipsy. She, of course, knew something was wrong, as she'd never had so much trouble balancing before. Having never been drunk or even hearing of alcohol, however, she simply assumed it was due to fatigue.

The first thing Morrigan noticed as she entered the room was that there was only one bed, and that it was occupied. In her alcohol-induced haze, she decided that she wouldn't allow him to simply take the bed. Realizing that she didn't posess the strength to move him, she stripped down to her underclothes and lay down next to him. Realizing they were laying face to face, and not wanting to smell his morning breath when they woke up, she turned so her back was to him.

Of course, this was about the time that Radae, in the Fade, had wrapped his arms around Lilith. As one was prone to do, his actions in his sleep often affected his actions in the waking world. His arms snaked themselves around Morrigan and pulled her closer, so her back was pressed right up against his (rather impressive, she noted drunkenly) chest. Morrigan was about to protest when she felt something else. One of his arms was sliding between her buttcheeks. She lifted her arm to strike him when she realized that both his arms were wrapped around her chest.

"Gah!" Morrigan leapt from the bed, hands covering her behind. Her face was flushed with embarassment, the ruby tinge standing out against her rather pale face. Radae's erection was clearly visible through his undergarments, and the blanket had been ripped off his body in Morrigans haste to leave the bed. The Witch marvled at the sheer size of the member, her drunken state making her sense of judgment little to none. She slowly approached the bed, suddenly worried about waking the elf from his sleep. After what felt like hours, Morrigan knelt down near the bed so that her face was level with the monster.

Even through the cloth of Radae's underwear, she could see it twitching lewdly with his heartbeat. There was a small wet spot near the tip, probably pre considering the lack of urine stench. It wasn't enough, though. Morrigan wanted to see this beast without the curtain. A delicate, tentative hand reached forward, soft fingertips curling around the top of the underwear. Her breathing halted, the Witch began slowly pulling the cloth down. She pushed his erection up against his body so it could slip through the underwear easier and was surprised by it's warmth. Much warmer than any of the other skin on Radae's body.

The cloth slipped past the tip and down the shaft. Morrigan marvled at the obscenely large, veiny shaft as it pulsed in time with Radae's heart. It was nearly the size of her forearm, and almost as thick! Drops of pre formed on the tip like dew. Without thinking, the Witch leaned forward and licked it up with the tip of her tongue. It was salty, but strangely alluring as she swished it around.

"Mmm." She heard. Her eyes darted up to Radae's face. Relief washed over her when she saw that he'd simply mumbled in his sleep. Having sobered a little from the shock, Morrigan decided she'd done enough for one night. Very carefully, she slipped his cock back into his underwear and climbed back in bed. After spreading the blanket over them, she wrapped his arms around her chest once more and gently rubbed her ass against his unreal manhood.

In the morning, she decided, she'd blame it on the ale.

_Back in the Fade_

"I feel strange." Radae informed, shifting slightly under Lilith.

"How?" The demoness asked, absently fondling the area where his cock met her ass.

"I don't know... It's like someone's... Nevermind, it's probably just me being nervous." Radae sighed, hugging Lilith tighter against him.

"There's a reason to be nervous." A voice said. Lilith and Radae turned to see Gabriella standing in the cave entrance. "There's a really powerful demon nearby." Radae sighed before lifting the Desire Demoness from his shaft with a wet pop. Like before, her ass clamped shut to keep in as much of his essence as possible.

"How powerful?" Radae asked, approaching Gabriella.

"Moreso than the three of us combined." She responded, "Though that's not saying much."

"Is it heading our way?"

"No. It's just... I don't know. I'm having a hard time pinning it down, like bits of it's power are spread through an entire area."

"It's probably laid claim." Lilith replied, "It's power has seeped into an area of the Fade, marking it like the favoring marks us."

"Why would anything want to claim land in the Fade?" Radae asked, "It's constantly in shift, right?"

"Because by doing so, they can control the shifting of the area." Lilith explained, "Doing so allows them to control the dreams of any mortals who's souls wander into their domain."

"Hm." The mage was interested, definitely. However, claiming land in the Fade would probably make it easier for the Purity Spirit to find them. "Keep an eye out, then. I need to slip into a deeper sleep if I want to be rested for tomorrow, so I have to go." With that, he let his concentration disperse. His vision wavered before flickering into darkness.

_Next Morning_

Radae awoke slowly, completely unlike the way Morrigan shook and insulted him into consciousness. The elf opened his eyes and smiled, watching the shadows of various birds through the window. Then he realized that there was someone in bed with him.

His first natural thought was a whore, he may have gotten drunk and hired one, after all. It was absurd, however, because Radae hated the taste of alcohol. His second thought was that someone had gotten their rooms mixed up. That, however, was shot down by the fact that, even if someone did get mixed up, once they saw someone in the bed they would've assumed it wasn't their room.

Then he caught a wiff of the womans hair. Forest, sweat, and just a little bit of ozone from lightning spells.

"Morrigan?" He whispered, loosening his arms from around her torso. She seemed to be sleeping, hard. Radae removed his arms from her, now sliding to the opposite side of the bed and up against the wall. He didn't want to go near her, for fear of waking her up, but he didn't want to stay in bed with her any longer, for fear of her waking up. The mage finally worked up the courage to slide to the foot of the bed and leap over the board, landing silently on the floorboards.

"She must've been drunk." He sighed, slipping his robes around his body and tying the belt to keep them together. Once he finished lacing up his boots, Radae slipped silently from the room. His light footsteps could be heard walking down the hall. Once they were far enough away, Morrigans eyes opened.

The Witch sat up and yawned, languidly stretching her arms skyward. "His reaction was priceless."

_That Afternoon_

After breakfast the two managed to find a boat that would take them across the lake. It wasn't easy, though. For whatever reason, the boat's owner didn't want to go anywhere near the tower, muttering about how he got a 'weird feelin' when he looked at it. Morrigan threatened to burn down his house, though, and he quickly complied.

"It's rather majestic." Radae stated, staring up at the ivory tower as they crossed the lake.

"Sure," Morrigan replied from the front of the boat, "if you like large, phallic symbols to our kinds repression." Radae couldn't help but smile. In the days they'd been traveling together, he'd grown accustomed to, and even fond of, her dry sense of humor.

"It's strange," the elf continued, "I feel as though there's something amiss. Like there's an energy about the place that shouldn't be there."

"I feel it too." Morrigan agreed. "It's so strong that even a commoner such as him could sense it." She gestured calmly to the man behind her, rowing the boat. "Something is wrong."

"SOMETHING'S WRONG!" Morrigan shouted, ducking under a severed leg as it flew through the air.

The two had entered the tower and, when they didn't see anyone, began walking around. There was a roar, and then chaos broke out. Fully armored templars battled with humanoid monstrosities, both sides taking heavy casualties within the first few moments of the fight.

"Beat the abominations back!" One templar, the leader, shouted. He swung his broadsword around him, cleaving a few abominations in two.

"What are they?" Radae asked, slowly backing away.

"Abominations." Morrigan replied, "You should know this. When a Mage is taken over by a demon they become-"

"Vas'karn?" Radae asked, "You call them Abominations?"

"Well we can't all have interesting names for monsters." The Witch quipped, before grabbing her staff from it's place on her back and rushing into the fray.

Radae cursed his luck. He'd be of little use without his own staff to channel his power, so he busied himself with staying out of the way. Then he realized, if the Veil was thin enough for Abominations to get through, maybe he could speak with Lilith and Gabriella.

'_Lilith!' _he called out with his mind, _'Lilith, Gabriella! Can you hear me?'_

"Master?" replied a voice in his ear, "Master, what's wrong?"

_'I'm fighting Abominations.'_ he replied, _'Is there any way to save the mages that have been taken over?'_

"No." Lilith answered, "The Demon must willingly release the Mage, or the Mage must break free with their own willpower." At this, Radae sighed. He didn't want to kill any mages, not yet.

"Master?" Came Gabriella's voice, "Maybe you shouldn't kill them. If you can turn them over to your side, you can use them to our advantage."

"And just how would you recommend he do that?" Lilith's voice asked, "It's not like he can just drop his robes and ravish them in the middle of a battle."

"Bestowing a favor can be done in other ways. You'd need to put a piece of yourself into them. Why not try your Mana?" Radae smiled at the suggestion. If he could inject some of his Mana into one of the Demons, he could, in theory, become their Master as well.

_'I'll try it. Wish me luck.'_

Morrigan leapt away from a fireball intended for her head. Her magic wasn't meant for such close quarters, and she was quickly running out of Mana. The Abominations were much worse than she'd imagined. She turned to launch another bolt from her staff when she saw Radae sprint up and punch an Abomination in the chest.

Surprisingly enough, the monster went flying across the room. It's back slammed into the wall before falling to the ground, where Radae, in a surprising display of speed, stood over it.

"I command you to release this Mage."

The Abomination screamed, it's body convulsing in what may have been pain. The strange growths on the side of it's face began shrinking, until they were eventually gone. The Mage, now suddenly free from the grasp of the Demon, curled into a shivering ball on the floor. He seemed to be in shock.

"What sorcery is this!" Shouted one of the Templars, the Abominations now completely obliterated. Their bodies lay strewn across the floor, along with the occasional Templar corpse. The once pristine marble floor was now coated in a thin layer of blood.

"My clan developed a technique for freeing Mages from the Demons." Radae answered. Morrigans brows knitted together. That made no sense, a Demon had to be either destroyed or leave willingly, it couldn't be forced out.

"Not possible." Said one of the Templars, sharing in Morrigans skepticism. The others nodded in agreement.

"I just did it." Radae replied smugly. Cocky bastard.

"I'm curious, " Morrigan began, "as to how you performed such a miracle."

"I..." The elf seemed to falter, but only for a second, "It is an ancient technique, passed down through our clan." He stated, shoulders squared, "I am forbidden to speak of it to outsiders, and especially shemlen." Morrigan laughed softly at the Dalish term for humans.

"Apostate, you will tell us what you know." One Templar threatened, drawing his sword. Six Templars, Morrigan counted, against two Mages. She turned towards Radae to see his reaction.

The cocky bastard hadn't even flinched.

Radae felt like his heart was going to explode. The confidence was a ruse, one that he hoped the Templars would buy. Morrigan was no help, all she did was glance between him and the Templars with a smirk on her face.

"It is not for you to know." Radae stated, his calm and even tone masking his inner panic. The Templars seemed as though they were about to argue, when the Mage on the ground began to stir.

"Attend to the Mage." One Templar, the leader, ordered. The rest nodded and circled around the man, the one closest to his head drawing his sword. The blade flew through the air and cleaved the mans skull in half. Blood and brain spewed across the floor, mingling with the rest of the blood.

Radae and his sister, as twins, held many things in common. One of them was their temper. The elf rushed at the lead Templar, hands crackling with electricity. '_He did nothing!'_

Morrigan jumped in front of Radae, stopping his charge with a hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck, she whispered softly in his ear; "It was wrong, I know, but it is their way, and nothing we can do will stop it. Killing in exchange for one persons death will not bring them back, but only add more strife and death to the world. Let our fellow Mage pass on."

The electricity in Radae's fingers dissipated, and with it, his anger. In it's place was nothing but sadness. Sadness at the loss of another life, one that had not needed to die. Death in battle was one thing, but the death of someone laying helplessly on his back was disgusting.

Morrigan, after ensuring that Radae had calmed, turned to the leader. "We are Grey Wardens, and we call upon the Circle of Magi to fulfill it's duty and assist our battle against the Blight."


End file.
